Aleksandar Vučić allegedly planned to use force to stay in power; conceded earlier than planned

A number of Serbian politicians and a former senior police officer have told journalists that President Aleksandar Vučić was prepared to contest his election defeat by force, but abandoned those plans after what they describe as high-level warning phone calls. Vučić allegedly acknowledged the victory of the Student List on 25 October at about 21:30, earlier than his own announced timetable for initial estimates.

Spasoje Vulević, a former commander in a Serbian anti‑terror police unit, said security forces were concentrated in central Belgrade on election day: "4,000 police and 3,000 people prepared for violence" were in position, he told reporters. Vulević said he was convinced Vučić had intended to refuse to recognise the results.

Claims of outside pressure and denials

Radomir Saičić, a candidate on the victorious Student List, also told correspondents there had been a concrete plan to use violence if the vote was close. "They had a plan to violently annul the vote if the result was close," he said, and added that police and others allegedly called Vučić and persuaded him to abandon that plan.

MEP Sandro Gozi said diplomatic sources warned that Vučić might attempt to retain power by force, and that people linked to the Serbian Progressive Party could provoke clashes around 21:00 on election night. A spokesperson for Vučić rejected suggestions that police deployment reflected preparations for a planned escalation, saying the force presence responded to threats from demonstrators.

Vučić himself denied that a foreign call prompted his decision to recognise defeat. "Nobody called me," he said on 27 October during a live appearance on Informer TV. He confirmed he had spoken with Viktor Orbán, Emmanuel Macron, Giorgia Meloni and the President of the European Council Antonio Costa, but said those conversations took place on 26 and 27 October, after election night.

On election night Vučić had announced that initial estimates would be available between 22:00 and 23:00, and pledged to accept voters' will if he lost. Yet at about 21:30 he stated that the Student List would win between 135 and 140 seats while his list would secure about 105. "We do not have final results. Many will be surprised," he said, explaining the figure was based on a statistical sample.

Preliminary figures published by the Republic Election Commission have confirmed the Student List's victory: 52.71 percent of the vote and 140 seats, against 39.17 percent and 104 seats for Vučić's list. The Student movement traces its origins to mass protests after the Novi Sad train station tragedy in 2024.

Photo: press material from the event