Vučić had spent two terms as president and could not seek a third term, so was leading his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) with the aim of returning to the post of prime minister, which he left in 2017. The Student List's lead candidate Ilija Srdanović told BBC Serbian: " This will be a free state."

Vučić made his announcement at the headquarters of his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) in the capital Belgrade. There were celebrations on the streets of the city, with people dancing and chanting "victory", cars honking, and fireworks set off.

" Serbia is free," one student told the BBC. " It's a miracle."

The centre of Novi Sad - the northern city that triggered the student-led protests - was crowded. " Everything is going to get better now," David Vasić, one of those celebrating, told the BBC Serbian.

The Student List - which has no obvious leaders and whose members are not used to politics - had attracted anti-government voters across Serbia. It decided to field candidates to the 250-member parliament from across Serbian society including doctors, actors, academics and sports personalities.

The anti-corruption movement campaigned on a manifesto that included purging officials who broke rules cracking down on protesters, stopping party loyalists from leading public enterprises, and freeing the public broadcaster of political control. Vučić and the SNS party have repeatedly denied corruption.

Vučić, who backs Serbia's candidacy for the European Union while refusing to impose sanctions on Russia over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, had pledged to increase pensions and public sector salaries, and investment in state healthcare. 9% having cast their vote by 18:00 local time (17:00 GMT), two hours before polls were set to close.

Earlier in the day, long queues were seen outside polling stations in cities and towns across Serbia. In France, Serbian voters waited in line in heavy rain in Paris.

The election was held amid high tensions across Serbia, with police sealing off streets around the Republic Electoral Commission (RIK) in Belgrade.