Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic confirmed that early parliamentary elections will be held in 2026, stating that the authorities have satisfied the key demand of the protesters.
„We have accepted their main demand – soon, next year, we will go to the polls“, Vucic said, addressing citizens in front of the parliament building in Belgrade.
The head of state is convinced that early elections will be a political response to the protesters' actions. „But they will not be so happy when the votes are counted.“ "We will defeat them everywhere in Serbia," he stressed.
Vučić also noted that political confrontation must remain within the framework of democratic norms. "It would be an honor for me to participate with you in the fight against all those who want to destroy our country, but this must be a political fight," the president stressed.
He said that the past year had been the most difficult for him, citing numerous accusations and pressure on the authorities. At the same time, Vučić noted that there were no victims during the protests. The president expressed confidence that the coming year would be successful for the country. “I believe that the coming year will be one of the best, if not the best, in the history of Serbia”, concluded the Serbian leader.
On December 28, student protesters held a large-scale campaign to collect signatures in support of the demand for early parliamentary elections. The campaign, held under the slogan “Define Victory”, covered dozens of cities across the country. This is the first such campaign since the student movement demanded early elections and announced its intention to form its own electoral list. Activists stressed that this list should include candidates selected by student plenums - public figures and experts who have not previously held leadership positions in either the government or opposition parties.
On 1 November 2024, a canopy at the Novi Sad railway station collapsed, killing 16 people. The tragedy sparked widespread public outrage and led to large-scale protests. Protests continued throughout Serbia in 2025, accompanied by demands for early parliamentary elections.