Is Vučić leaving? Student protests in Serbia in 5 questions

Serbia has been rocked by student protests for eight months. Hundreds of thousands of young people have been holding uninterrupted demonstrations in numerous cities across the country, demanding the resignation of President Aleksandr Vučić. So why did these protests begin? Are the protests a threat to Vučić's increasingly authoritarian rule? Here are five questions about student protests in Serbia.

Compiled by: Petek Ugur

On November 1, 2024, the roof of the second-largest train station in Novi Sad, Serbia, collapsed . Sixteen people, including children, died . Approximately 80 rescue workers from across the country rushed to the station. Serbian President Aleksandr Vučić said, “It’s difficult to say anything meaningful. As the president of Serbia, I demand that everyone responsible be punished.”

Students, teachers, and thousands of people from various professions protested the government, claiming the incident was the result of corruption and negligence. The roof had undergone months of restoration before the incident. Protesters claimed inspections were ignored and corruption was rife for the sake of construction.

Following the train station collapse, university students initially held a one-minute silent sit-in protest to commemorate the victims on their campus. However, during a commemoration at the University of Belgrade, students were attacked with fireworks. After the attack, students were forced to take shelter in buildings. The silent protests continued for a while, but as the days passed, anger gave way to grief.

This anger first became visible with the occupation of faculties. At many universities in Belgrade, Novi Sad, and Kragujevac, students refused to leave their lecture halls. They began holding forums and making decisions collectively. Soon after, 15-minute silences began across the country every day between 11:52 a.m. and 12:07 p.m.

The slogan "Serbia, stop!" was born from these protests. Traffic came to a halt on busy city streets, and people stood silently in the squares.

Students have four main demands:

• All documents regarding the reconstruction of the Novi Sad Railway Station should be made public.
• The release of those detained during the protests,
• Those involved in police violence must be held accountable.
• Providing an additional budget of 20 percent to the higher education system.

Law students Isidora, Vladan, and Aleksandra, who participated in the protests, spoke to Dialektika . When asked how they organize, they said, "We make decisions through votes at plenums where everyone can participate. We set the agenda together, and we project and record the decisions made." Vladan said, "This structure emerged with the protests. There was no such coordination before."

When asked how they maintain communication, students said, "We've established interfaculty chat groups. Some groups work on media, some on security, and some on logistics and law. We meet every day at the rectorate building and hold coordination meetings."

When asked how the need for security arose, Isidora said, "Some of our friends had bottles thrown at them during New Year's celebrations on January 14th. There were attacks with sticks in Novi Sad. After these attacks, we formed security groups. Only university students can join these groups."

When asked about their relationships with state-affiliated media outlets, students expressed distrust of these institutions. “We don't trust RTS,” Isidora said. “We verify every piece of information shared on social media among ourselves.”

Vladan said, "Documents from previous years revealed that 14,000 people were part of a government-backed troll network." The students explained that they disseminated information through communication channels they created and ensured the flow of information directly through these networks.

When asked what he thought of independent media, Vladan said, “In small cities, most people only watch pro-government television channels and don’t even have access to others.” Isidora added, “Independent media invite government representatives to debate programs, but they usually don’t get a response.”

When asked how academics approach them, Isidora said, "Some of our professors support us. They also offer legal assistance, but we prefer not to take the exams of those who don't support us."

When asked whether the protests were political, Vladan said, "Our demands are political, but we have no ties to any political party." When asked about his stance on the opposition, Vladan said, "Early elections wouldn't be a solution right now. The opposition isn't ready," while Isidora said, "The current opposition has no public response. No one among us is planning a political career."

When asked about their future plans, the students said they were undecided about whether to stay in the country or go abroad. Vladan said, "I'll be going abroad soon on an exchange program. I want to work in international courts in the future." Aleksandra said, "I want to work for an NGO," and Isidora said, "I want to pursue a master's degree in sports law in Spain."

Students emphasized that these protests reflect not individual but broader social desires for transformation.

The student protests that began after the disaster at Novi Sad Train Station had significant consequences for the country's politics and public opinion.

• Protests following the Novi Sad Train Station disaster led to government resignations. Prime Minister Miloš Vučević and Novi Sad Mayor Milan Đurić resigned last January. The resigning Prime Minister was Mayor of Novi Sad at the time of the renovations, and the station renovations were carried out during his tenure.
• The government accepted some of the students' demands. It was announced that documents related to the disaster would be made public. The higher education budget was increased by 20 percent. Some students subjected to police violence were granted amnesty, and cases against them were dropped.
• The protests became massive. On December 22, 2024, over 100,000 people gathered in Belgrade. Participation in the demonstrations on March 15 exceeded 325,000. This number set a record in Serbian history. The European Parliament supported the protesters. European Union (EU) Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos called for reforms in the judiciary and media in Serbia. Students, meanwhile, attempted to make their voices heard in European public opinion through actions such as a bicycle parade between Novi Sad and Strasbourg, France.
• Exit Festival lost government funding due to its support for students.

Whether student protests in Serbia will continue depends largely on how the movement is organized and how much public support it garners. Currently, the protests are largely organized through social media and university groups.

According to The Guardian , there are three main reasons why this movement is sustainable:

• First, actions are not tied to a specific leader. Students make decisions through public votes. This makes actions both horizontal and collective. Structures that are not leader-centric are more resilient to the government's efforts to target and fragment.

• Second, students have established a strong communication network not only on campus but also in city centers, neighborhoods, and even on social media. Volunteer groups dedicated to media, law, and security work together daily to coordinate their actions. This allows for effective action not only in the streets but also in generating information and informing the public.

• Third, the protests proceed independently of political parties. Students speak their minds. This increases public confidence.

But there are obstacles. State-run media attempts to criminalize the students. Police occasionally resort to harsh measures. Despite this, protesters continue to resist without resorting to violence.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has not backed down from the protests.

While some members of the government resigned, Vučić strongly stated that he would not leave his post. At the end of June, clashes broke out between police and protesters, and 79 people were detained .

As protesters' demands grow, Vučić alleges "foreign interference" is behind the protests. International media reports that Vučić has repeatedly stated that he opposes the interim government and "will not leave office." However, the sheer size of the student-led movement suggests that political pressure is growing.

Source: Reuters , Dialektika , BBC , DW , The Guardian