Parliamentary elections in Serbia | Serbia: The students have grown up

Final campaign rally of the student-supported electoral list on October 22, 2026 in Belgrade Photo: AFP/Andrej Isakovic The scene on this Thursday evening on Slavija is symbolic of Serbia these days. From the huge video screen high up on a house - like on almost every corner in Belgrade - ex-President Aleksandar Vučić presents himself as a benefactor of the Serbs and promotes his power move into the office of prime minister. Below, in one of the central squares of the Serbian capital, thousands have gathered to prevent exactly that. They followed the call of the student list and want to send Vučić, who has been in power for 14 years, into political retirement.

The atmosphere in and around the square seems exuberant, people are singing folk songs and Bengalos to prepare for the political part of the event. There is actually a lot of pressure on the boiler. Hours before the actual event, demonstrators who had arrived had partially paralyzed the prefabricated housing district on their way to the center, to the cheers of many drivers.

“Pumpaj, pumpaj,” the demonstrators chant again and again. “We have to pump until the tire finally bursts,” says Jovan, explaining the slogan. Like many people here, Jovan has long since left his student years behind him. The student list - none of whose candidates are students - has managed to transform the grief and anger following the collapse of the train station canopy in Novi Sad, which killed 16 people two years ago, into a movement for society as a whole. And here on the Slavija she continues to scream her anger. “Vučić, ode” – “Vučić, go,” echoes across the square. “We want Vučić to go down in history,” says Jovan.

“We now have a new generation and we want to build on Otpor.”

Vučić, the demonstrators demand, should be swept from power like Slobodan Milošević once was. For many, this brings back memories of Otpor. At 30, Elvis says he is too young to remember the organization. “I was four when they were active.” A friend gave him the Otpor button on his jacket, he says. Because then as now the opponent is the same. “We now have a new generation and we want to build on that,” says Elvis.

Sunday is about more than an election. It's about a referendum on two principles and visions: "Serbia or the mafia", "freedom or slavery," shouts student list candidate Jugoslav Gašić from the stage. This is well received. “We are here for freedom,” says soccer hooligan Bogdan. He insults Vučić as a criminal who runs Serbia like a drug cartel. "Vučić is like El Chapo," one of the most powerful drug lords, he complains. His friends interrupt him: "No, our government is only there for Russia." After a little argument, they can agree that the drug lord is worse.

That's how it is with them, they say, taking another drag of the cigarette. People certainly argue among themselves, but they stick together against the government. »Look, we are right-wingers, nationalists, left-wingers, punks from the 90s. And we all hate Vučić,” Marko joins the conversation. “Would it be possible in Germany to bring so many different people onto the streets against the government?” he asks, visibly proud of the crowd in the square and in the side streets.

When asked whether anything will really change on Sunday, Marko says that the government will try everything to somehow get votes. "I give you my word, dead people will definitely vote for Vučić again." And the government will also bring in votes from the Bosnian republic of Srpska. 200,000 voices will appear that actually don't exist, says Marko.

Nevertheless, he believes in his chance on Sunday. Like everyone on Slavija. They chant “Pobeda” after the candidates’ speeches – “Victory”. Elvis is also convinced of the student list's election victory on Sunday. "We will win, and if they take that away from us, we will take the street and defend it."

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