Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic conceded defeat on Sunday in a parliamentary election that marked a dramatic political turning point for the Balkan nation, ending 14 years of dominance by the longtime leader and his right-wing Serbian Progressive Party.

The election followed two years of sustained demonstrations organized by a student-led opposition movement, which emerged as the principal challenger to Vucic's government.

The President, who received the endorsement of Russian President Vladimir Putin, had accused the protest movement of being part of a foreign-backed effort to remove him from power.

Although voters were presented with 18 parties competing for seats in Serbia's 250-member Parliament, the election effectively became a contest between Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party and the Students' List, which attracted support from young voters and a broader opposition coalition.

According to projections, the Student List won a parliamentary majority with 52.1% of the vote and about 138 of 250 seats. Vuci’s party took 39.3% and around 104 seats.

Serbia, a country of approximately 6.4 million voters, experienced unusually high electoral participation throughout Sunday, according to The Associated Press.

Long lines formed outside polling stations early in the morning, with election observers reporting turnout levels that could approach 70%, a figure not recorded in the country since 2000.

The voting took place amid heightened political tensions and reports of violence in several parts of the country.

In central Belgrade, police wearing riot gear established a security perimeter around the headquarters of the national election commission.

Special police vehicles were also deployed near a park in the capital where Vucic supporters have maintained an encampment for more than a year.

Local media reported several violent incidents during the day, underscoring the tensions surrounding the closely watched election.

Vucic has been regarded as a supporter of Israel and has maintained close diplomatic relations with Jerusalem during his years in power.

In 2020, he announced plans to establish a Serbian diplomatic mission and an economic office in Jerusalem, signaling his government's commitment to strengthening bilateral ties.

That same year, Vucic marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day by displaying a yellow flag at his official residence in Belgrade.

The flag featured a Star of David and the word “Jude," recalling the identifying badges that the Nazis forced Jews to wear during the Holocaust.

Vucic published a photograph of the flag on social media, accompanied by a message emphasizing the importance of remembering the Holocaust.

Diplomatic cooperation between Serbia and Israel continued in subsequent years.

Last year, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar hosted Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Đurić in Jerusalem for discussions on developments in the Middle East and opportunities to expand relations between the two countries.

During the meeting, Sa'ar expressed appreciation for Serbia's support of Israel, emphasizing that Belgrade had demonstrated its friendship through concrete actions as well as public statements.

He contrasted Serbia's approach with that of countries that had sought to pressure Israel through embargoes and proceedings before international courts, noting that Serbia had continued supporting Israel during a particularly challenging period.

The relationship was again highlighted earlier this year when Serbia strongly criticized UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese over remarks concerning the country's defense cooperation with Israel.

During a visit to Belgrade, Albanese accused Serbia of cooperating "without shame" with Israel and alleged that Serbian-made weapons were being used in Gaza.

Serbia's Foreign Ministry rejected her accusations, describing the comments as "unbalanced and activist" and condemning them as an "unacceptable interference in internal affairs."

The ministry also maintained that Albanese's statements exceeded the appropriate scope of her UN mandate.