NOVI SAD, Serbia — Tens of thousands of demonstrators flooded the streets of Novi Sad on Saturday as student organizers declared a strategic escalation in their prolonged campaign against President Aleksandar Vucic’s administration. The mobilization represents a new phase in a protest movement that has sustained momentum for over twelve months, presenting the most significant challenge to Vucic’s authoritarian leadership in the Balkan nation.
Protesters unified in chants of ‘thieves’ directed at government officials, alleging systemic corruption that they contend directly contributed to the catastrophic November 2024 train station disaster in northern Serbia. The tragedy, which claimed 16 lives, served as the catalyst for the nationwide movement demanding governmental accountability and reform.
Despite mounting pressure, President Vucic has maintained his refusal to call snap elections, a central demand of the protest movement. The government’s response has included hundreds of detentions, with numerous participants reporting employment termination and various forms of political persecution for their opposition activities.
Student representatives announced a tactical shift from demonstration to proposition, outlining specific policy measures including the permanent exclusion of corrupt officials from political office and comprehensive investigations into unexplained wealth among governing elites. The movement, which has gathered approximately 400,000 signatures supporting their election initiative, has branded this new phase ‘What Victory Will Mean.’
Vucic, who initially rose to power on promises of European Union integration, has increasingly pivoted toward alliances with Russia and China during his decade-long tenure. His administration faces persistent allegations of eroding democratic institutions while permitting corruption and organized crime networks to operate with impunity.
The student-led movement has resonated deeply with a populace disillusioned by conventional political alternatives. Vucic has countered by accusing protesters of acting under covert Western directives aimed at destabilizing Serbia, though he has provided no substantiation for these claims.