For three months, tens of thousands of citizens, led by students from all over Serbia, have been protesting in demonstrations, blockades, vigils and other actions throughout the country. They constitute the most serious challenge to the thirteen-year rule of Aleksandar Vučić. The outcome of the protests is not just crucial for Serbia, but for the entire region, as Vučić has been a disruptive force with his support for Serb nationalist parties and interference in neighboring states. These massive protests also hold lessons for challengers to autocratic rule elsewhere.

They fundamentally differ from previous demonstrations against the Vučić government over the past decade – in terms of scale, countrywide scope and tactics, as well as the students’ central role in them.