Serbia student protests could take power and topple Putin's 'main ally' in Europe as election polls open

Serbia student protests could take power and topple Putin's 'main ally' in Europe as election polls open More student protests are set to take place across Europe but Serbia's student-led movement could see it's student-led movement topple the populist government at the polls today A student-led protest movement this weekend could topple the 14-year rule of a far-right populist party in Europe, amid further upcoming youth demonstrations across the continent. Serbia will hold an early parliamentary election today, after almost two years of student-led demonstrations demanding an end to the current regime. The country's leader, Aleksandar Vucic, has dominated the politics of the Balkan nation, either serving as president or prime minister after his party took power in 2012. Vucic wants a return to power but the leaderless student-led movement, the Student List, has put up its own candidates up in the crunch election to pose a serious threat to the current government. Polls have suggested the election could be tight and although Serbia's 6.4million voters can choose between multiple parties, the vote is shaping to be a referendum between the Student List and Vucic's Serbian Progressive Party. The student-led protests were sparked following the collapse of a train station canopy in Serbia's northern city of Novi Sad killed 16 people, in November 2024. Vucic has led Serbia along it's potential accession to the European Union but this process has been stalled in recent years amid political concerns. His pro-EU position helped his populist party come to power in 2012 but in the run-up to this election Vucic has repeatedly boasted of an endorsement from Russia's President Vladimir Putin. He told state RTS television this week that Putin knows that "there won't be any sanctions" against Russia only if the populists win. Vucic added: "It is no coincidence that Vladimir Putin said he hopes that I will be the prime minister." Dr Gëzim Krasniqi, lecturer in nationalism and political sociology at the University of Edinburgh, shared the complex relationship Vucic has with Russia and Europe. He said: "Serbia is the main ally of Russia in that part of the world and now what we see is Serbia, which is largely surrounded either by EU countries or EU and NATO countries. So, it's one of the few countries which is neither part of the EU nor part of NATO." Former British Ambassador to Serbia Denis Keefe however, speaking to the Mirror, said: "I wouldn't call Serbia an ally of Russia, but it is in some ways close to Russia. The way it's all related is that Serbia's society is split between people who what would like to join the the European Union and people who who don't want to." While student protests have sparked in the past few weeks across Europe - in France, Albania, Italy, Portugal and Belgium - the Serbian movement has sustained itself for two years and grown into a political force in the country. Dr Krasniqi shared how the student protests in Serbia have grown into a political movement. He said: "I think there are a number of important characteristics. One of them is that it's a very organic form of organization, so it's not a top-down where a few charismatic leaders manage to organize a big mass of people. "So, it started from Novi Sad and then it spread across Serbia, especially university towns and cities, and then also incorporated other sections of the society." Dr Krasniqi revealed how the movement survived for two years in the face of violence and pressure from the government, saying: "They were incredibly disciplined, organised to maintain and increase pressure on an authoritarian regime, but without resorting to violent means that we have seen in other countries." The former ambassador shared why this movement has been successful, while previous protests in Serbia died out. Mr Keefe said: "Difference this time is that this student-led movement has engaged a wider section of society. And, it's maintained its momentum over two years, and actually enabled the the creation of a political force." The students have campaigned under "Students win" and "Serbia or mafia" slogans in a mixture of hope and urgency in their message. The leaderless youth movement has focused its struggle on restoring justice and the rule of law in the country they say is ravaged by corruption. A huge rally of around 150,000 supporters of the Student List flooded the streets of Belgrade on Friday, waving banners that read "students are winning" as they chanted through the capital. This comes as France, Italy and Albania braces for unrest between demonstrators and police as more student-led protests have been planned for Saturday, October 24.