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LOUD
Serious · Wrapped upstudentscorruptiongovernance

Students rally in Belgrade ahead of parliamentary elections

Nationwide · pinned on Belgrade, Serbia · since Oct 22, 2026

Is it still on?

NOEnded on Oct 23.

Last report · checked

Summary in three lines

Why they are protesting
Protesters want to end 14 years of rule by the ruling party following years of demonstrations sparked by a fatal station roof collapse.
What they want
They demand an end to government corruption and the ouster of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party in the parliamentary elections.
What changed
Oct 23: Large crowds converged on Slavija Square in Belgrade for the final campaign rally ahead of Sunday's parliamentary vote.
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Both sides

What protesters want

  • Transparent investigation into the Novi Sad station tragedy
  • End to government corruption
  • Ouster of the ruling party in the parliamentary elections

Organised by: Student List

What authorities say

According to the sources, former president Aleksandar Vucic accused the protesters of attempting a foreign-backed coup and held a separate rally for his supporters in the capital.3

The numbers

Only figures a source states, with who said it. Estimates often differ.

Crowd
150,000
About 150,000 supporters of Serbia's opposition student movement rallied2

The full story

Columns of students and citizens arrived in Belgrade from different parts of Serbia after multi-day walks, culminating in a large rally at Slavija Square. Organised by the Student List movement, the participants sought to challenge the ruling Serbian Progressive Party and unseat leader Aleksandar Vucic in the parliamentary elections. The protest movement emerged from earlier demonstrations demanding accountability and a transparent investigation following the fatal collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad that killed 16 people. Civil society groups stated that the campaign faced intimidation and arrests, while the incumbent leader accused protesters of attempting a foreign-backed coup.

Timeline

  1. Crowds estimated at over 100,000 to 150,000 gathered at Slavija Square for the final campaign rally ahead of parliamentary elections.23

  2. Several columns of students and citizens arrived at Students' Square in Belgrade after walking from multiple towns across Serbia.1

Pins sit on city centres, never on gathering points

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Participants gathered following social media calls promoting an anti-establishment movement modeled on French student protests.

  • students
  • anti-government
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4 sources · 86% sure ·