Students vs. the strongman: Serbia heads to a decisive vote

Citizens of Serbia are voting in early parliamentary elections. A list backed by the student movement is challenging the party of Aleksandar Vučić, who shortened his presidential term to run for prime minister. The protests began after the collapse of a train station roof in Novi Sad in 2024.

Citizens of Serbia are voting in early parliamentary elections, where a list backed by the student movement is challenging the party of Aleksandar Vučić. The wave of protests began after the collapse of a roof at the train station in Novi Sad in 2024, in which 16 people were killed. The demand for a transparent investigation expanded into a protest against corruption and a call for elections. Vučić announced snap elections and shortened his presidential term to run for prime minister. He accuses the protest movement of attempting a coup with foreign funding. Polls opened at seven in the morning and are expected to close at eight in the evening.