Serbia’s streets and public opinion are sending a clear message: the student and civic rebellion will not be silenced, no matter how much President Aleksandar Vucic hopes otherwise. This was the consensus tonight on Olja Bećković’s show “Impressions of the Week,” where political analysts and public opinion experts dissected the growing strength of the student list and the government’s frantic attempts to regain control.
The panel consisting of political analyst Đorđe Vukadinović, political scientist Boban Stojanović, and public opinion researcher Dušan Vučićević agreed that Vučić’s regime is struggling to contain a movement that has now reshaped Serbia’s political landscape.
Vukadinović observed that the massive turnout in Novi Sad on November 1 was more than a commemoration it was a statement. “The president saw organization and intellectual strength, which must have shaken him. His plans for early elections this year have clearly been postponed because of the unstoppable momentum of the student marches,” Vukadinović said.
Stojanović emphasized that the student movement, particularly contributions from Novi Pazar, has changed Serbia, leaving Vučić and his cronies exposed. “The regular elections aren’t until December 2027, yet he flails with extraordinary election threats because he knows the awakened citizenry is no longer manipulable through empty rhetoric or rigged polling,” Stojanović added.
Vučić’s regime, experts agreed, has resorted to desperate measures to control the narrative. Vučićević pointed out that the government’s overwhelming police presence and disinformation campaigns aim to isolate the citizenry and manipulate abstainers. “They are trying to convince one million and eight hundred thousand voters that there is no rebellion, that everything is under control. But the rebellion is growing, and Vučić’s plans are crumbling,” he said.
Vukadinović further revealed the regime’s hypocrisy, noting that while Vučić publicly apologized for past insults against protesters, his policies and police actions paint a starkly different picture. “This is a man who allowed violent police repression against demonstrators in September, and now pretends to seek dialogue. The apology is a performance, not a solution,” he said.
The panelists also noted the growing political clout of the student list. Vučićević confirmed that their research shows the student list ten percent ahead of other options on average, a statistic the regime would rather keep under wraps. Vukadinović cautioned, however, that Vučić remains a master of electoral manipulation, capable of turning public sentiment into confusion if left unchecked.
Both experts stressed the fragmentation of the traditional opposition as an opportunity. Right-wing opposition parties have lost credibility, and the student list, by staying independent, has captured the moral high ground. “Vučić’s government benefits from pitting students against traditional opposition forces,” Vučićević noted.
The verdict from the analysts is clear: Vučić can no longer dismiss the rebellion, nor can he manipulate it with rhetoric or intimidation. The streets of Serbia and the growing support for the student movement are proof that the regime is under siege—and citizens are demanding justice, accountability, and a break from authoritarianism.
In the words of Stojanović: “Talking about student lists or opposition candidates only serves Vučić. He clings to control, but the momentum has shifted. Serbia has awakened, and there’s no turning back.”
