Andy_Ross
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Serbia's long-standing leader Aleksandar Vučić has admitted defeat to a student-led protest movement in snap parliamentary elections.
Celebrations erupted as crowds descended on the centre of Belgrade, Novi Sad and other cities.
The student movement was formed less than two years ago in response to a railway station disaster blamed on corruption and negligence, but fought the election with candidates from a cross-section of Serbian society.
"It is clear we have lost these elections," right-wing populist leader Vučić said as he conceded late on Sunday, citing preliminary figures that gave the students 2.2 million votes and his party 1.72 million.
The students were on course to win 52.9% of the vote, according to a later projection by independent pollsters CeSID, with the highest turnout for years of 69.34%.
www.bbc.co.uk
Celebrations erupted as crowds descended on the centre of Belgrade, Novi Sad and other cities.
The student movement was formed less than two years ago in response to a railway station disaster blamed on corruption and negligence, but fought the election with candidates from a cross-section of Serbian society.
"It is clear we have lost these elections," right-wing populist leader Vučić said as he conceded late on Sunday, citing preliminary figures that gave the students 2.2 million votes and his party 1.72 million.
The students were on course to win 52.9% of the vote, according to a later projection by independent pollsters CeSID, with the highest turnout for years of 69.34%.
Serbia's veteran ruler Vučić concedes election to student-led protest movement
The populist right-wing leader of 12 years says it is "clear" his party has lost the vote billed as a referendum on the country's future.