By Seladin Xhezairi
Serbia is facing its most serious political and social crisis in more than a decade, with protests spreading from Belgrade to cities across the country as anger mounts over corruption, government negligence and police brutality.
The spark came from a tragedy in Novi Sad on Nov. 1, 2024, when the collapse of a roof at a railway station killed 16 people. The incident, part of a Chinese Belt and Road Initiative project, has become a symbol of systemic failure and lack of accountability. Months of investigations have yielded no results, fuelling suspicions of corruption and cover-ups.
“The Novi Sad tragedy turned outrage into a national uprising,” said Naim Leo Beširi, a political scientist and executive director of the European Affairs Institute in Belgrade. “What began as protests has now become a deeper political and social crisis.”
Radical demands
Student groups, backed by civic movements, have taken the lead in organizing the protests. Their demands go beyond cosmetic changes. They are calling for free and fair elections, independent media, accountability for the Novi Sad disaster, and punishment for police violence.
“They insist on systemic change, a break with autocratic practices that keep Serbia in a captured state,” Beširi told BalkanView. “That moral clarity gives them an advantage over traditional opposition parties.”
Unlike previous demonstrations, these protests are not dominated by opposition politicians but by students and grassroots activists, making them harder for the government to discredit.
Forceful response
The government of President Aleksandar Vučić has responded with force rather than dialogue. Police have been accused of using excessive violence in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš, Šabac and Valjevo. Media outlets and international agencies have reported widespread arrests, beatings, and even torture of detainees.
One student, Nikolina Sinđelić, said a police officer threatened her with rape and slammed her head against a wall while in custody. Her testimony, widely circulated on social media, shocked the public and drew condemnation from human rights groups.
“Such accounts not only discredit the government but inflame public anger further,” Beširi said. “The regime tries to portray everything as a foreign conspiracy, but violence and intimidation reveal fear, not strength.”
A battle of time and legitimacy
In the short term, Vučić’s government still controls state institutions and the security apparatus, giving it room to buy time. But each day comes at a growing political cost, analysts say.
“The regime is losing legitimacy and public trust, while students, opposition groups and civic movements are gaining strength,” Beširi said. “Every new incident, such as the beatings in Valjevo or the use of a ‘sound cannon’ in Belgrade that caused panic, reinforces the perception that the government has lost its bearings.”
Vučić’s uncertain future
Vučić, in power for more than a decade, is now politically wounded, according to Beširi.
“His authority no longer comes from trust but from fear and force,” he said. “He won’t step down voluntarily because losing power could mean facing criminal accountability.”
Beširi said the president’s fate hinges on two mounting pressures – internal dissent at home and growing external pressure from the European Union and international partners. “When these pressures converge, his political downfall becomes inevitable.”
Shifting political landscape
The protests have already reshaped Serbia’s political landscape. Student groups and grassroots organizations have seized the initiative from traditional opposition parties, pushing an agenda based on freedom, justice and accountability.
“The old opposition will have to adapt to this new energy or risk becoming irrelevant,” Beširi said. “The future of Serbian politics will depend on whether this energy can be channelled into a coherent political front.”
Between illusions and Europe
Serbia remains caught between competing geopolitical visions. Vučić has promoted the concept of a “Serb World,” which fuels regional tensions, while maintaining ties with Russia and China for short-term political support. At the same time, Kosovo remains an unresolved issue used by the government to rally nationalist sentiment.
But Beširi argues the only realistic path to a functioning democracy and economic growth is European Union membership.
“If Serbia continues to run from that path, it risks deeper isolation and impoverishment,” he said. “Today’s protests clearly show that citizens are asking for Europe, not autocracy – even if they are deeply disappointed by the weak response from Brussels.”