Serbian students shift from mass protests to a nationwide signature campaign, aiming to prove public support for early parliamentary elections
BELGRADE: Student protesters in Serbia have launched a nationwide campaign to collect signatures, aiming to gauge public support for their demand for snap parliamentary elections.
The move marks a strategic shift from the massive street demonstrations that have gripped the country for over a year. The protests were initially triggered by a fatal railway station roof collapse in Novi Sad in November 2024, which killed 16 people.
That tragedy became a symbol of systemic corruption, with calls for a transparent investigation escalating into demands for early elections. “We are counting to get a rough idea of how many people support us,” said Jana, a first-year philosophy student staffing one of nearly 500 stands.
After more than a year of faculty blockades and large-scale marches, students are now engaging citizens directly. For supporter Branimir Jovancevic, 63, this new approach is more effective than organising another large rally.
“It is meant to show how many citizens in Serbia support calling elections,” he said. Many, like 24-year-old Eva Manojevic, feel justice has been delayed. “Too much time has passed, and no one has been held accountable,” she said.
Political science professor Nebojsa Vladisavljevic sees the students entering “a new phase of mobilisation”. He said the goal is to turn protest support into votes and an eventual electoral victory.
The students will announce the survey results in the coming days. Public outrage over the Novi Sad disaster previously triggered the prime minister’s resignation and the government’s collapse earlier this year.
However, a new cabinet was formed, and President Aleksandar Vucic has insisted elections will not be held before late 2026. He has accused the protest movement of attempting to overthrow the government.
