Questionable Alliances
Protests Against Vučić's Regime Escalate in Serbia
For the past nine months, Serbia has been gripped by a wave of protests, initially sparked by anti-corruption sentiments following two tragic events: the May 2023 mass shootings and the November 2024 collapse of a renovated railway station in Novi Sad. These incidents galvanized voters, particularly students, to rally against President Aleksandar Vučić's increasingly autocratic rule and democratic backsliding.
The protests, which began as peaceful demonstrations, have grown into a broad anti-government movement. Demands have expanded to include early elections and Vučić's resignation, with protests spreading from major cities to smaller towns such as Valjevo.
However, the peaceful nature of the movement has lately given way to violence. Since August 2025, clashes between protesters and police, and attacks on properties belonging to Vučić's Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), have become common.
The violence has involved several parties: protesters, security forces, ruling party supporters, and masked enforcers. Some demonstrators have vandalized SNS party offices and other government-related properties. Police have clashed with protesters violently, with allegations of police brutality. Videos have circulated showing detainees kneeling before police, sparking widespread outrage. At least 42 police officers were reported injured, and dozens of protesters arrested during confrontations.
Members of the ruling SNS and masked groups acting purportedly on behalf of authorities have physically assaulted protesters and looted opposition properties. In Novi Sad, a soldier from a special army unit fired warning shots during clashes involving riot police and crowds, indicating the escalating tensions within security forces themselves.
In response, the government has blamed foreign influence, threatened a state of emergency, and speculated on political restructuring to maintain control while managing the crisis ahead of the 2027 World Expo Serbia is slated to host.
Arrested protesters have been detained in sports halls, and the recent violence has cast doubt on the safety of ordinary people in Serbia. The ongoing protests, primarily led by students and pupils, reflect deep political and societal fractures under Vučić's regime.
In a dramatic statement last week, Vučić described the current state of Serbia as being in great danger. He claimed that the state, democracy, normal life, and the decent life of ordinary people are all threatened. The ongoing protests serve as a testament to the public's dissatisfaction with Vučić's rule and their determination to seek change.
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