Serbia's Anti-Government Protests: A Timeline from Novi Sad to Snap Elections

In November 2024, a tragic infrastructure failure in Serbia's second-largest city ignited a wave of public fury that would evolve into the most sustained challenge to President Aleksandar Vučić's 13-year rule. What began as a localized demand for accountability after a deadly train station collapse has grown into a nationwide movement calling for snap elections, rule of law, and media freedom, achieving major political concessions and drawing intense international scrutiny.

The Trigger: Novi Sad Railway Station Canopy Collapse

On 1 November 2024, at 11:52 CET, a 48-metre-long concrete canopy at the recently renovated railway station in Novi Sad collapsed onto the pavement below, killing 16 people and severely injuring one . The disaster was widely blamed on corruption and poor oversight of a flagship infrastructure project, sparking immediate public outrage . Protests erupted in Novi Sad within days, with demonstrators demanding accountability and the resignation of top officials .

Student-Led Protests and Nationwide Spread

University students became the driving force of the movement, beginning faculty blockades on 22 November 2024 . By early 2025, the protests had spread to more than 400 towns and cities across Serbia, making it the largest grassroots uprising in decades . The initial demands for accountability over the collapse expanded to include snap parliamentary elections, rule of law, an end to corruption, and media freedom . The movement employed sustained civil disobedience, including extended road blockades, walking demonstrations, a protest cycling event to Strasbourg, and blockades of the headquarters of Radio Television of Serbia .

Resignation of Prime Minister Miloš Vučević and Novi Sad Mayor

On 28 January 2025, after months of sustained mass protests, Prime Minister Miloš Vučević resigned, stating he wanted "to prevent further complications" and "avoid escalating tensions within society" . The Mayor of Novi Sad, Milan Đurić, also resigned the same day . Vučić's moves were widely seen as an attempt to quell the unrest, but protests continued . Despite these resignations being among the protesters' initial demands, demonstrators pressed on, calling for broader political change .

Escalation Through 2025: Large Rallies and Police Clashes

The protests intensified through 2025, marked by massive demonstrations and confrontations. An estimated 300,000 people joined a protest in Belgrade on 15 March 2025, one of the largest in the country since 2000 . Police clashed with demonstrators at a June 2025 rally where approximately 140,000 protesters gathered in Belgrade calling for early elections and an end to Vučić's rule . On the one-year anniversary of the collapse, 1 November 2025, tens of thousands rallied in Novi Sad, standing in 16 minutes of silence for the victims .

Spring 2026: May Belgrade Rally and Violent Clashes

On 23 May 2026, tens of thousands of anti-government protesters, primarily university students, massed in central Belgrade demanding snap elections under the slogan "Students Win" . While the main demonstration remained largely peaceful, clashes later broke out when groups of protesters hurled flares, rocks, and bottles at riot police, who responded with tear gas and stun grenades near the presidency building and city hall . The state railway company halted all train services to and from Belgrade ahead of the protest .

Vučić's Announcement of Early Parliamentary Elections

Facing sustained pressure, President Vučić announced that early parliamentary elections would be held in the autumn of 2026 — between late September and mid-November — though protests continued even after the announcement, with demonstrators vowing to maintain pressure . Vučić firmly resisted the demonstrators' calls for his resignation, insisting he would not cave in .

Council of Europe and International Concern Over Civic Space

International bodies have repeatedly voiced alarm over the deteriorating situation in Serbia:

• In March–April 2026, partner organizations of the Council of Europe warned of a "spiral of violence" against journalists in Serbia, citing "record levels" of physical violence, online smear campaigns, and death threats . The European Federation of Journalists and its partners assessed that the past year had seen a continued deterioration, leaving the country in a prolonged and worsening press freedom crisis . Serbia was reported to share second place in the number of attacks on the physical safety of journalists in Europe .
• The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights conducted a visit to Serbia in May 2026 and observed a "deteriorating human rights situation," particularly regarding freedom of expression, media freedom, freedom of peaceful assembly, and the protection of civic space .

Key takeaway: What began as a localized public outcry over a deadly infrastructure disaster has evolved into an 18-month nationwide protest movement challenging President Vučić's 13-year rule, achieving the resignations of the prime minister and Novi Sad mayor, forcing a commitment to early parliamentary elections in autumn 2026, and drawing sharp criticism from the Council of Europe and EU institutions over rising violence against journalists, police brutality, and the shrinking of civic space.