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Serbia after the Student List's win: EU says “the door is open,” Tirana calls for normalization with Kosovo
With over 96% of polling stations processed, the Student List has 52.54% against 39.29% for Vučić's list; von der Leyen, Costa, Kos and Merz congratulate the winners, while Albania's Foreign Ministry calls for engagement in the dialogue with Pristina.
By ANN Newsroom · Newsroom
October 26, 2026, 13:30 · Updated 18:41 · 2 min read
In brief
- According to Serbia's electoral commission, the Student List leads with 52.54%, while Vučić's “Srbija ujedinjena” has 39.29%.
- Commissioner Marta Kos: A new chapter can begin for Serbia; the EU's door is open.
- Tirana expects Belgrade to engage constructively in the dialogue with Kosovo and implement agreements.
Serbia woke up Monday to a new political landscape after the Student List won Sunday's snap parliamentary elections. According to the Republican Electoral Commission, with over 96% of polling stations processed, the student-backed list has 52.54% of the vote, while the “Srbija ujedinjena” list of former President Aleksandar Vučić has 39.29%.
Vučić conceded defeat on election night at his party's headquarters in Belgrade but blamed interference by some European countries, which he did not name, and what he called “the American deep state.” According to Al Jazeera, he predicted about 105 seats for his party and 135 to 140 for the students, in a 250-seat parliament.
Brussels and Berlin
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa congratulated the winners and said the EU is ready to help Serbia move toward membership and to support reforms on the rule of law, media freedom and the fight against corruption. Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos highlighted the historically high turnout after almost two years of protests and declared: “The EU's door is open.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz wrote that “the parliamentary elections in Serbia have been clearly decided” and pledged that Berlin will actively support Serbia's European path.
Tirana's position
Albania's Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs congratulated the Student List on its “convincing victory” and citizens on their broad participation. It stressed that normalizing relations with the Republic of Kosovo remains an essential responsibility for Serbia's new political chapter and that Tirana expects constructive engagement in the EU-mediated dialogue, implementation of agreements and concrete steps toward good neighborly relations.
