How young students have awoken Serbia

But as student Ljubinka notes, ‘the greatest success are not the numbers, but the awakening of a previously numb society.’ She calls the creation of solidarity and sense of community among the people one of the biggest successes.

President Aleksandar Vučić accuses the students of being controlled by foreign powers that want to destabilize Serbia. But according to Ljubinka, nothing could be further from the truth. 'Everything about this movement, from organization to communication and perseverance, has been shaped by previous struggles unique to the Balkans. It is deeply rooted in our own historical and social experience.’

United but different

By focusing on restoring the rule of law and democratic institutions, the movement has brought together groups that would otherwise rarely align. ‘These are common interests that transcend political convictions’, Subotić explains.

‘There is this joke where people ask, “Who is the admin today?”’ Bjeloš says. ‘Because the admins of social media accounts gets constantly changed. Sometimes they are very liberal, sometimes they are not.’

This results sometimes in posts that use derogatory terms for Albanians or LGBTQ-people. ‘Immediately after posts like this, there is a lot of backlash. People argue that they do not want to fight the regime using this kind of rhetoric and that they do not want to live in a society that discriminates people based on these things. Still, we have to remind ourselves that not everyone in our society is socially progressive and liberal. There is a lot of nationalism too.’

‘I’m telling you this to show that the student movement is not monolithic. However, they engage with each other and learn from their mistakes.’ Despite the political divisions, internal cohesion remains intact because everyone respects the final decision. ‘We know better than to divide ourselves’, Milica says.

The so-called village walks did not fail to have an effect. Five months after the protests began, figures from CRTA, an organisation that promotes democracy and civic activism, showed that approximately 60% of the population supported the student protests.

The age of the students also plays a role in this. According to Subotić they are a very visible group: ‘If you attack them, everyone sees it. Their friends, parents and grandparents.’

Bjeloš explains that ethnic division is a political creation. ‘Promoting Serbian identity is an important part of Vučić’s politics. Politicians throughout the former Yugoslavia benefit from nationalism and therefore keep it alive. They do not allow people to truly live together, which isolates communities from one another.’

For many Orthodox Serbians, the protests in Novi Pazar were their first visit to the region. ‘Suddenly, people realised that diversity enriches our society and that we must work together to break through nationalism.’

‘That is the future we want’, confirms Katarina. ‘A country with room for every culture, with equal opportunities and where everyone is equal before the law.’

Reclaiming the national flag

Redefining patriotism also involves redefining the Serbian flag. Since the Yugoslav Wars, it has been a symbol of war and Serbian nationalism.

Yet the flag is frequently waved at all demonstrations. ‘When I look at the flag now, I think of the students, their protest and their solidarity,’ Bjeloš says. It is even carried by Muslim students. According to Subotić, that was ‘unthinkable’ before the protests.

Milica recalls a politician saying that seeing a Muslim girl carrying the Serbian flag connects two things that may seem hard to reconcile given the country’s history. ‘It shows that she can love Serbia as much as any Christian can.’ She adds that she is glad Bosniak students are so actively involved in the movement.

By using the Serbian flag, they refute the argument that they are being controlled by foreign powers. On the contrary, they are protesting out of love for their homeland. They affirm that they are proud to live in Serbia and that they want to continue to do so.

‘The students have succeeded in redefining patriotism,’ explains Bjeloš. In this new definition, patriotism revolves around solidarity and love for each other. ‘You are patriotic when you clean up your rubbish or when you take care of each other.’

Repression against protesters

The faculty occupations were lifted this summer. According to Milica, this was because a longer occupation would have a negative impact on the students’ future and because the ruling party SNS ‘doesn't care anyway’.

Over the summer, police violence against protesters escalated further. Videos where students were beaten brutally went online, students were unlawfully detained and at least one woman came forward after being threatened with rape by a police officer.

Yet Milica emphasizes that the movement is still ‘very much alive and breathing’. This became clear during recent protests, including the on January 27 in Belgrade. Thousands of demonstrators protested against the suppression of education, as several teachers and professors were dismissed for their support of the student movement.

Looking ahead to 2027

The ongoing violence made students realize they had to politicize, despite their previous apolitical stance. Although Vučić has so far refused their demand for early elections, it won't be long now. New elections will be held as early as 2027.

According to Milica, the student movement is preparing to take part in the elections. She hopes the leaderless principle will remain intact. ‘The names on the list are people the students trust and who are experts in their respective fields, but none of them will be presented as a “leader”. If the law requires us to rank them, that will be nothing more than a formality.’

Recent local elections have given cause for hope. Student-endorsed lists received a large number of votes, challenging the SNS's almost complete dominance in rural areas. ‘But the problems with corruption at the ballot box have not changed,’ Milica notes. ‘We must remain aware of the fraud and prepare for it.’

Hope for a better future

Although it remains to be seen whether the student movement will succeed in politically mobilizing society, Subotić wants to focus on the positive successes that the movement has already achieved. ‘They brought solidarity and optimism, two elements that were missing in our society.’

The protests also led to personal insights. In a country where an estimated eight out of ten young people are considering leaving, Katarina was no exception for a long time. ‘I have been protesting for years, but my hopes were repeatedly shattered. It felt logical to leave, when so many people are doing so.’

The protests changed that. ‘The solidarity on the streets touched me deeply. I feel a deep love for my culture and the people here again. For the first time, I see a real possibility for a better future, and I want to continue to be part of building it.’