German leader welcomes Serbia election result, vows support for EU path

Germany's chancellor on Monday welcomed the victory of the Students Win (Student List) in Serbia's parliamentary elections, saying that Berlin will actively support the country’s path toward European Union membership.

On social media, Friedrich Merz said Sunday's vote had yielded a clear result.

“The parliamentary elections in Serbia have been clearly decided. We congratulate the Student List!” he wrote. “With its demands for the rule of law, the fight against corruption, and fundamental freedoms, it has reached the people.”

“We will actively support Serbia’s European path,” he added.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa also congratulated the Student List on its victory.

In a joint statement posted on X, the two EU leaders said the Serbian people had turned out "in record numbers to shape their country's future."

"We stand ready to support reforms on the rule of law, media freedom, the fight against corruption and strong democratic institutions, and to work together to build Serbia’s future in the European Union," they wrote.

Preliminary figures released by Serbia's Republic Electoral Commission showed the student-backed list winning 52.54% of the vote, compared with 39.29% for former President Aleksandar Vucic’s United Serbia list, based on more than 96% of polling stations processed.

Sunday’s elections followed nearly two years of student-led protests triggered by the deadly collapse of a train station canopy in Novi Sad. Speaking at his party’s headquarters in Belgrade, Vucic acknowledged that his electoral list had lost. He blamed the defeat on what he described as interference by several European countries and the “American deep state.”