Serbia's Vučić faces mass protests as public trust plummets
Public opinion polls in Serbia indicate a sharp decline in support for President Aleksandar Vučić and his Serbian Progressive Party, the Financial Times reported on March 16.
According to the survey, 55% of respondents said they do not trust Vučić, while only one-third of Serbians approve of his leadership. Among university students, around 58% still support the incumbent president.
“We have agreed that it is time for this regime to end because only then can we have a dignified life,” said Belgrade student Anđela Radojević, as quoted by the Financial Times.
Mass protests in Serbia: What is known
A wave of mass protests has been sweeping Serbia since November 2024. The demonstrations were sparked by a tragedy at the Novi Sad railway station, where a recently renovated concrete canopy collapsed on Nov. 1, killing 15 people between the ages of six and 74.
Protesters argue that corruption, negligence, disregard for safety regulations during construction, and nepotism within the government led to the disaster.
Shortly after the protests began, Serbian Minister of Construction Goran Vesić resigned. He and 12 others involved in the station's renovation were later arrested, but this did little to quell public anger.
In January 2025, amid ongoing demonstrations, Serbian Prime Minister Miloš Vušević and Novi Sad Mayor Milan Đurić also stepped down. However, the protests have continued, with local media calling them the largest demonstrations in Serbia since 1996.
On March 15, another massive rally took place in Belgrade. According to Serbia’s Interior Ministry, at least 107,000 people attended, while the local watchdog group People's Assembly Archive, which monitors public gatherings, estimated the turnout at 275,000 to 325,000.
That same day, President Vučić addressed the protests, stating he was willing to hold new elections within three to four months if demanded by the opposition. However, he made it clear he does not intend to step down.
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