Belgrade, 22 October 2026, dtt-net.com- Tens of thousands of Serbia’s students and their supporters flooded central Belgrade today for a massive final rally ahead of the crucial October 25 snap parliamentary elections.
Running for the first time under the banner “Student List – Students Win,” the youth-led movement poses a direct challenge to the country’s pro-Russian former President, Aleksandar Vučić.
Vučić is running for the prime minister’s post in a bid to extend his 13-year authoritarian grip on power, as he cannot run for his third presidential term because of constitutional rules.
“What we become on Sunday, we will remain forever,” posted Students in Blockade, the movement’s central account on X (formerly Twitter), as their campaign pointedly named “Serbia or the Mafia” drew to a close.
The rally marked the culmination of 24 months of near-daily widespread street protests. The movement was originally sparked by the November 1, 2024 tragedy in the northern city of Novi Sad, where a railway station canopy collapsed, killing 16 people-including a university student. Youth groups and opposition parties have relentlessly called for regime change, arguing it is the only way to ensure full accountability for a disaster they blame on rampant state corruption.
While prosecutors have indicted 13 individuals, including former Construction Minister Goran Vesić and various public infrastructure officials no trials have yet made it to court.
“At the site that has become a symbol of our movement, people who have spent the last two years walking, protesting, and fighting for accountability are meeting again. Behind us are thousands of kilometres travelled, sleepless nights, hugs, tears, and unforgettable encounters. Many were complete strangers two years ago; today, they recognize each other even in the largest crowds. This evening is dedicated to everyone who shared that journey,” students wrote in an emotional Facebook post published during tonight’s demonstration.
The political landscape has drastically shifted in the wake of the protests. While traditional opposition parties remain heavily fractured, roughly 15 opposition factions chose to withdraw from direct participation to back the Student List, a unified coalition of students, professors, and independent public figures. Only three traditional parties are running on a separate joint ticket.
The youth movement enters Sunday’s high-stakes vote with significant momentum. Out of four major opinion polls conducted this year, three project a historic victory for the Student List, while only one suggests the ruling SNS party and its allies will manage to retain power.
