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Hundreds of thousands rally in Belgrade as student movement closes gap on Vucic in snap election

Student-led ticket tied in polls with populist strongman ahead of Sunday's parliamentary vote

By LineZotpaper

Published22 October 2026

Updated22 October 2026

Read Time3 min

Sources5 outlets

Hundreds of thousands of supporters of Serbia's student movement flooded central Belgrade on Thursday for a final pre-election rally, with the youth-led political ticket polling neck and neck with President Aleksandar Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party ahead of a tense snap parliamentary election on Sunday.

Crowds numbering hundreds of thousands streamed into Belgrade's central Slavija square on Thursday, filling several blocks of streets around the area ahead of the final campaign rally of Serbia's student-led political movement. Flag-waving demonstrators chanted "Victory" in a wave of optimism as the Students' List election ticket barrels into the snap parliamentary vote on Sunday tied in the polls with President Aleksandar Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party.

The gathering capped nearly two years of student-led protests, triggered by a deadly train station canopy collapse in November 2024 that killed 16 people. Despite government crackdowns and the detention of scores of students, the movement has swelled into a direct challenge to Vucic's populist strongman rule.

Drama student Natalija Stepanovic addressed the crowd, declaring: "Three more days are left and they will pass. So will fear, blackmail, injustice. Tyrants will pass, like they always do, but the people of this country never will and they will stand tall as a monument to our joint struggle."

Supporter Marina Popov Taparicki from Belgrade said: "There is hope for the first time in like 30 years. People want change." Igor Zecevic, also from Belgrade, added: "The students woke us up, woke everybody up in this country, and we just have to do our thing now, we have to get out, we have to vote."

Vucic held his own closing rally at a sports hall in a separate part of the capital before several thousand followers. He said he expects a victory by a margin of several hundred thousand votes. In a radio interview, he predicted a "tough, uncertain struggle," but said that "nothing special will happen" on election night and that "those who win will celebrate." He has also accused the student movement of being financed from abroad to destroy the country.

Analysts warn that a close result could lead to post-election instability if both sides declare victory. Vucic, who controls the police, has said any unrest would be swiftly quashed. The European Union and international election monitors have expressed concerns over the safety and fairness of the ballot, pointing to near-total government control over the media, surveillance, and cyber attacks on activists.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The election represents a direct challenge to President Vucic's populist rule, with the student movement threatening his party's dominance for the first time in years.
A disputed result could trigger post-election instability in the Balkans, drawing concern from the European Union and international observers.
The vote is a test of democratic processes in a country where the government controls mainstream media and faces accusations of corruption and censorship.

Background

The student-led protests began in November 2024 after a concrete canopy collapsed at the Novi Sad railway station, killing 16 people. Despite a government crackdown that saw scores of students detained, the movement grew into a broader challenge to Vucic. A huge rally at Slavija Square in March ended in disruption; experts alleged a sonic weapon was deployed against demonstrators, which the government denied. The snap parliamentary election was called amid this deepening political crisis.

Key Perspectives

[Student Movement / Opposition]: The students and their supporters see the election as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to end Vucic's grip on power. They frame the vote as a choice between democratic reform and continued authoritarian rule, campaigning on anti-corruption and justice. [President Aleksandar Vucic / SNS]: Vucic dismisses the protesters as foreign-funded agents seeking to destroy the country. He predicts a clear victory for his party and warns that any post-election unrest will be met with force, projecting strength and stability. [International Observers / EU]: European monitors have flagged concerns over media control, surveillance, and the overall fairness of the ballot. The EU has expressed unease about the polarized environment and the potential for a contested result.

What to Watch

The vote count on Sunday: Whether the Students' List or SNS wins the most seats, and whether the result is accepted by both sides.
Claims of victory: Expect both camps to declare victory if the result is close, a scenario analysts warn could lead to instability.
Post-election protests: The student movement has proven highly capable of mass mobilization; a perceived stolen election could reignite street demonstrations on a larger scale.

Sources

Huge crowds gather at final pre-election rally of Serbia's students · The Independent UK
Hundreds of thousands gather in Serbia student rally · Rapporteur
Massive student-led rally marches in Belgrade ahead of Serbian election · World news | The Guardian
Serbia: Student protesters flood Belgrade ahead of snap elections · Euronews
Huge crowds gather at final pre-election rally of Serbia's students · Philadelphia Inquirer

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 8 supported.

Show each claim

Partly supportedThe student movement was closing the gap on Vucic ahead of the snap election.The Independent UK: “Their Students' List election ticket is polling neck and neck with Vucic's right-wing Serbian Progressive Party”
Partly supportedThe student-led ticket was tied in polls with Vucic, described as a populist strongman.The Independent UK: “Their Students' List election ticket is polling neck and neck with Vucic's right-wing Serbian Progressive Party”
SupportedHundreds of thousands gathered at a final pre-election rally in Belgrade on Thursday.The Independent UK: “Hundreds of thousands of supporters of Serbia's protesting youth movement gathered Thursday at the final campaign rally”
SupportedThe rallying demonstrators chanted “Victory”.The Independent UK: “The flag-waving, boisterous crowds chanted “Victory””
SupportedNatalija Stepanovic said: “Three more days are left and they will pass. So will fear, blackmail, injustice. Tyrants will pass, like they always do, but the people of this country never will and they will stand tall as a monument to our joint struggle.”The Independent UK: ““three more days are left and they will pass.” “So will fear, blackmail, injustice,” she added. “Tyrants will pass, like they always do, but the people of this country never will and they will stand tall as a monument to our joint struggle.””
SupportedMarina Popov Taparicki said: “There is hope for the first time in like 30 years. People want change.”The Independent UK: ““There is hope for the first time in like 30 years,” Marina Popov Taparicki from Belgrade said. “People want change.””
SupportedIgor Zecevic said: “The students woke us up, woke everybody up in this country, and we just have to do our thing now, we have to get out, we have to vote.”The Independent UK: “Igor Zecevic, also from Belgrade, added that “the students woke us up, woke everybody up in this country, and we just have to do our thing now, we have to get out, we have to vote.””
SupportedVucic said he expected to win by several hundred thousand votes.The Independent UK: “He said he expects a victory by a margin of several hundred thousand votes in favor of his SNS party.”
SupportedOn Radio Belgrade, Vucic predicted a “tough, uncertain struggle,” and said “nothing special will happen” on election night and “those who win will celebrate.”The Independent UK: “predicting a “tough, uncertain struggle.” Vucic added that “nothing special will happen” on election night and that “those who win will celebrate.””
Partly supportedThe canopy collapse triggered the student-led protests.The Independent UK: “Suspicions of high-level graft in state railway projects triggered student-led protests after a collapsed canopy at a train station in Serbia’s north killed 16 people in November 2024.”
SupportedAnalysts warned that a close result could lead to post-election instability if both sides declared victory.The Independent UK: “Analysts say that a close result could make the outcome uncertain and pave the way for potential post-election instability if both sides declare victory after polls close on Sunday.”
Partly supportedThe EU and international election monitors raised concerns about ballot safety and fairness, citing media control, surveillance and cyber attacks on activists.The Independent UK: “International election monitors and the European Union have expressed concern about the safety and fairness of the ballot that has been marred by near-total government control over the media, reports of surveillance and cyber attacks on activists”

Correction

22 October 2026An earlier version of this story included the words “on election night” in a direct quote from Vucic. Those words were the source report's narration, not part of his quoted remarks.