Thousands of protestors flooded the streets of Belgrade on Saturday, demanding early elections and an end to President Aleksandar Vucic’s 12-year rule, Al Jazeera reported.
The demonstrations, led by university students, mark a significant escalation of public dissent following last year’s fatal collapse of a renovated train station roof in Novi Sad, which killed 16 people. The incident, widely attributed by critics to government corruption and mismanagement, sparked months of national outrage.
Heavy police presence in riot gear was deployed across key locations, including Slavija Square and Nemanjina Avenue, where the rallies took place. The student-led protests gained momentum after the November 2024 disaster, which many citizens see as a symbol of broader failures in Serbia’s infrastructure and governance.
Although Prime Minister Milos Vucevic resigned earlier this year amid mounting pressure, President Vucic has remained defiant, refusing calls for early elections. His Progressive Party-led coalition currently controls 156 out of 250 seats in Parliament.
Hours before Saturday’s rally, Vucic’s ruling party reportedly mobilised busloads of supporters from across Serbia. Many of them donned T-shirts bearing the slogan “We won’t give up Serbia”, joining pro-government demonstrators who have been camped near the president’s office since March.
In response to the protests, Vucic blamed unnamed “foreign powers” for fuelling unrest and urged the police to remain restrained, but warned that “thugs will face justice.”
Despite increasing pressure, Vucic has remained firm on completing his second presidential term, which ends in 2027 — the same year parliamentary elections are due.