Serbia’s Student List movement has won the country’s parliamentary election, according to preliminary results, in a major political setback for longtime leader Aleksandar Vucic and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). Vucic conceded defeat in a televised statement, acknowledging that his party had lost the vote, although the final count was still pending.
The result marks a significant breakthrough for a movement that grew out of student protests and developed into a major political challenger to Serbia’s established leadership. The Student List was projected to secure at least 135 parliamentary seats, compared with around 105 for the SNS, according to the figures reported in the initial election coverage.
Speaking after the result became clear, Vucic, a former Serbian president who had hoped to return to the premiership, acknowledged his party’s defeat. The outcome opens the way for a potential change in political leadership after years of SNS dominance.
Bojan Vranic, a political science professor at the University of Belgrade, described the Student List’s victory as a historic moment for Serbia, telling Euronews that it could bring a new generation of political leaders into public life.
The movement’s rise has drawn attention beyond Serbia, particularly because of the country’s long-running effort to join the European Union. Serbia’s accession process has lasted 14 years and faced obstacles linked to Belgrade’s relations with Russia and China, as well as disagreements over alignment with the EU’s foreign policy.
However, Vranic cautioned against expecting a rapid breakthrough in Serbia’s EU membership negotiations. He described the Student List as very conservative on European integration, suggesting that its immediate priorities are focused more on domestic political change than on accelerating accession.
The election result could therefore reshape Serbia’s internal politics without necessarily bringing an immediate shift in its relationship with Brussels. Much will depend on the movement’s priorities and how it approaches the country’s existing international commitments.
In France, far-right politician Marine Le Pen launched her presidential campaign on Sunday at a rally in Orléans attended by thousands of supporters of the National Rally (RN). The event marked her fourth attempt to win the country’s highest office.
Le Pen used the speech to criticise President Emmanuel Macron’s leadership and argue that the rule of law had become too lenient. Her remarks came amid weeks of unrest in France involving violence, looting and thousands of arrests, according to the original report.
She pledged to protect public spaces and called for tougher immigration policies. On foreign policy, Le Pen said France would not send its young people to die in what she described as reckless military adventures or wars that did not concern the country. Her position could create tensions with European allies, particularly over support for Ukraine and France’s wider international commitments.
Attention is also turning to Israel, where more than seven million eligible voters are expected to participate in a national election on Tuesday. Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Euronews that the country’s future would depend heavily on the result.
The election is the first national vote since the Hamas-led attack of October 7 and is widely viewed as a test of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership following nearly three years of war. Netanyahu has faced sustained criticism over his handling of the conflict and his government’s political direction.
The vote is taking place as Israeli military operations and displacement continue in the occupied West Bank. The original report said hundreds of Palestinians had been displaced from their homes, following a gun attack the previous week that killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded others.
Meanwhile, the European Commission is preparing proposals to reform Frontex, the EU agency responsible for coordinating border management among member states. According to an EU official cited anonymously by Euronews, the proposed changes would provide the agency with additional personnel and allow a rapid-response force to be deployed when large numbers of migrants arrive unexpectedly.
The proposed package is also expected to include an online monitoring unit to track social media activity and identify possible large-scale movements of migrants. The plans follow previous pressure on European governments over border management, including an incident in July in which approximately 80,000 migrants reportedly entered the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco, triggering a political dispute.
The Commission’s proposals are expected to be formally presented on Tuesday. Their details will help determine how far the EU intends to expand the agency’s role in responding to migration and border emergencies.
Relations between the EU and Canada are also on the agenda this week, with disagreement emerging over the proposed inclusion of an “associate membership” concept in the declaration expected at their summit in Montreal on Thursday. Some EU member states have questioned the meaning of the proposal, which has no established precedent within the bloc, and want the Commission to clarify its implications before the meeting.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to travel to Montreal accompanied by 10 commissioners. The summit is also likely to provide an opportunity for Brussels to press Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to increase Canada’s financial support for Ukraine.
The EU has committed to helping address an estimated funding shortfall of 70 billion euros facing Kyiv next year. Officials and diplomats have discussed a division in which the EU would provide two-thirds of the assistance, amounting to around 50 billion euros, with other allies covering the remainder.
However, an internal document cited by Euronews suggests that the EU could end up providing about 80 per cent of Ukraine’s military and financial aid in 2027. That would leave the bloc carrying a larger share than originally anticipated and increase pressure on partner countries to fulfil existing pledges and provide additional funding.
On the battlefield, the prospect of renewed peace negotiations remains uncertain. Russian officials have said Moscow is prepared to resume trilateral talks involving Ukraine and the United States, but only after November 4, Russia’s National Unity Day.
In the meantime, further Russian attacks are expected to remain a concern for Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that, over the preceding week, Russia had launched approximately 1,600 guided aerial bombs, 48 missiles and nearly 2,300 attack drones against the country.
Elsewhere, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was reported to have secured an election victory, while his opponent Jair Bolsonaro rejected the results. The outcome could allow Brazil to maintain its current policy direction despite pressure from US President Donald Trump, including demands linked to increased tariffs.
Northern Europe has also faced severe weather disruption. Storms Austen and Boelo caused power cuts affecting more than 150,000 homes over the weekend, while falling trees injured people and transport services were disrupted. Flights and ferry services were cancelled in several countries, from Scotland to Denmark.
In Spain, housing affordability remains a growing concern despite employment. A separate Euronews report cited figures showing that house prices rose by 84.6 per cent between 2015 and 2025, compared with an increase of 27.85 per cent in average wages. The gap has added to concerns about rent costs, the shortage of affordable homes and the difficulty many workers face in saving enough to buy a property.
European officials are also preparing for a series of meetings on defence, agriculture, economic relations and emergency preparedness. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and European Commissioner for Defence Andrius Kubilius are due to attend a meeting of defence ministers from France, Germany, Italy, Poland and the United Kingdom in Paris. Agriculture and fisheries ministers are scheduled to meet in Luxembourg, while Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis is due to meet Jens Eskelund, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, in Brussels.
European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib is also expected to meet Canadian officials in Ottawa to discuss preparedness and responses to health emergencies ahead of the EU-Canada summit.
Against this wider backdrop of political change, conflict and pressure on European institutions, Serbia’s election stands out as a consequential test of whether a student-backed movement can turn public discontent into lasting political power. The final results and the steps taken after the vote will determine how the country’s new parliamentary balance translates into government.
