Belgrade protest draws tens of thousands as student-led rally demands early elections

Slavija Square filled up quickly on May 23, as tens of thousands of people poured into central Belgrade to demand early elections and rail against Serbia’s government. Deutsche Welle described a student-led crowd spread across the city, with many demonstrators wearing T-shirts reading “Students win” and waving Serbian flags as they rallied in the streets. ^[1]

Al Jazeera reported that university students were at the forefront of the protest, casting the turnout as a direct challenge to the authorities and an effort to force a snap vote. As the chants and banners focused on accountability and political change, the network said President Aleksandar Vučić—who has been Serbia’s president since 2017—responded with a hard pushback against the demonstrators. ^[2]

The Washington Times likewise characterized the gathering as a mass rally against Vučić, called by protesting university students and drawing tens of thousands into the capital. ^[3]

The demonstration is the latest flashpoint in a political crisis that has periodically convulsed Serbia since a December 30, 2023, rally in Belgrade where thousands accused the ruling populists of election fraud. Tensions resurfaced again on June 29, 2025, when thousands set up street blockades after a crackdown on protesters, and the May 23 mobilization showed the movement’s ability to bring large numbers back into the streets. ^[1][2]