Serbia student protests: Vucic has reason to fear elections

"Over the course of the past few months, Vucic has gradually narrowed down possible dates for a poll, moving from a vague promise that the election would take place "before the legal deadline," through information that it would be in "late 2026 or early 2027" to the latest announcement that suggests a vote could be held in October, November or December."

"The greatest strength of the students and the opposition is the change we have seen in the electorate," Spasojevic told DW. "The bloc of [those in] power and the bloc of the opposition are now relatively equal, and for the first time, we will have elections in which the government not only could lose, but would probably lose."

"But that should not lull anyone into complacency," added Spasojevic. "There is still a lot of time before the elections, and the government still has enormous resources. It has repeatedly shown its ability to get out of difficult situations."

Serbia entered 2026 in full pre-election mode without a set parliamentary election date. President Aleksandar Vucic accepted demands from students and citizens for a snap election after more than a year of protests and student blockades. Vucic has narrowed possible polling dates from a vague promise "before the legal deadline" to suggestions of "late 2026 or early 2027," with the latest announcements pointing to October, November or December. The Novi Sad railway station canopy collapse on November 1, 2024 killed 16 people and triggered accusations of corruption and negligence and prolonged protests. Political analysts say the electorate has shifted, making power blocs roughly equal and creating a realistic chance the government could lose, though the government retains significant resources and resilience.

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