Belgrade Student Protest Draws 150,000

Thousands of students and supporters marched through Belgrade carrying Serbian flags and banners reading "Students are winning." Demonstrators chanted, blew whistles and filled Slavija Square and surrounding streets.

The rally marked the Student List's final major gathering before the October 25 election. Candidates joined supporters after the speeches, holding copies of Serbia's constitution before participating in a traditional folk dance.

Novi Sad Railway Tragedy Sparks Protests

The student-led demonstrations began after a concrete canopy collapsed at Novi Sad railway station in November 2024, killing 16 people. The disaster sparked public anger over alleged corruption and failures in construction oversight.

Protesters initially demanded a transparent investigation and accountability for those responsible. Over nearly two years, the campaign expanded into a nationwide anti-corruption movement calling for early parliamentary elections and institutional reforms.

Serbia Student List Challenges Vucic

The Student List is fielding 250 candidates for all 250 parliamentary seats. Its candidates include university professors, academics and political newcomers who have gained support through student-led demonstrations.

The movement has focused its campaign on fighting corruption, improving public accountability and strengthening democratic institutions.

Political analysts say the parliamentary contest remains difficult to assess because available opinion polls have produced conflicting results.

Vucic Campaigns for Prime Minister

Aleksandar Vucic, who has served as Serbia's president and prime minister, resigned from the presidency on September 27 to contest the parliamentary election as his party's candidate for prime minister.

At a separate campaign rally in Belgrade on Thursday, Vucic urged SNS supporters to vote and accused the student movement of attempting to destabilize the country with foreign backing.

His party is campaigning on promises of economic development, higher living standards and political stability.

Serbia Election Fairness Concerns

Twenty-four Serbian civil society organizations have raised concerns about the election environment, citing allegations of intimidation, arrests, attacks, misuse of public resources and unequal media coverage.

Belgrade prosecutors also questioned six suspects arrested over an alleged plot involving violence and disorder on election day.

With voting scheduled for Sunday, October 25, Serbia faces an important parliamentary contest shaped by demands for accountability, competing political visions and questions about electoral fairness.