Euphoria filled Belgrade's Republic Square last night as a crowd of 200,000 jubilant Serbs celebrated the landslide presidential election victory of Dr Vojislav Kostunica.
A mix of mothers, fathers, pensioners and youngsters jammed Kolarceva Street and flocked towards the blaring music in the square.
They were waving flags. They carried balloons. They even carried babies' rattles. They were celebrating the end of the era of Mr Slobodan Milosevic.
"We beat them like a baby beats its rattle," people said to each other, shaking the rattles.
From the stage the announcer gave the names of the local authorities in which the opposition had won: from Nis in the south to Novi Sad in the north, and in the central Serbian heartland of Cacak, Kraljevo and Kragujevac.
With the name of every city claimed by the opposition and every vote total, a massive cheer rang out from the square. Flares shot into the sky, and the sound of music echoed through the night.
The economist and anti-Milosevic activist, Mr Maladjan Dinkic, took the stage. "We've voted for Kostunica and now they have the last chance. They can choose to go easily. If not, only God can help them, because it is time," he declared.
There was so much jubilation in Belgrade - and in dozens of other cities across Serbia last night - that people said it seemed impossible for the defeated President Milosevic to do anything but step down.
With a massive 75 per cent turnout, the opposition swept to victory in the presidential, local and federal polls, according to opposition figures.
"I didn't have hope before. I didn't think there was a future, even two days ago. Talking about a future was like a fairytale before. Now there is light at the end of the tunnel," said Ms Milica Rajic.
When Dr Kostunica took to the stage there was a massive roar. "We have victory. And they have lost," he declared. "There is no dealing with them. We have support from the European Union. We have support from Russia. But the main thing is our own strength."
The next move by the regime will be clear today. But yesterday Belgrade was awash with rumours of collapse at the heart of the regime. Resignations and defections were being reported.
Some senior socialists were said to have left the country. Others have sounded out the opposition about their prospects if they abandon the party.
A youngster from the student resistance movement, Otpor, won a massive roar from the crowd when he declared: "In 1988 we promised resistance until victory and we are here. We said he is finished. And we are here." The crowd roared back: "Gotov je (he is finished)."