Tens of Thousands Rally in Belgrade as Student-Led Opposition Challenges Serbia’s Ruling Party
Around 150,000 people gathered at Slavija Square in Belgrade on October 22 to support Serbia’s student-led opposition movement ahead of Sunday’s parliamentary election, according to an independent crowd-monitoring group cited by AFP.
The rally, held under the banner “Student List – Students Win,” marks the culmination of a movement that began with anti-corruption protests following the deadly collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad in November 2024, which killed 16 people.
The student-backed electoral list is campaigning against corruption and seeking to unseat the ruling Serbian Progressive Party, which has held power for more than 14 years under the leadership of Aleksandar Vučić.
Vučić, who stepped down as president to run for prime minister, held a separate campaign rally in Belgrade on the same day, setting the stage for a closely contested election.
The vote is scheduled for October 25, amid concerns raised by civil society groups over alleged intimidation and the fairness of the campaign. The competing sides have presented sharply different visions for Serbia’s political future.