Lead

Thousands of protesters gathered in the Serbian city of Kraljevo on Sunday, keeping up pressure on President Aleksandar Vucic a day after he said he would step down within weeks to pave the way for early presidential and parliamentary elections, as reported by the Jerusalem Post and the South China Morning Post.

While many protesters expressed satisfaction with Vucic's resignation, they fear he may not fully relinquish power. Analysts say he may try to run for prime minister and install an ally in the presidency so he can continue to wield power, according to both outlets.

"I cannot imagine that he will step down and leave power to someone else," said Marko Djokic, a 41-year-old IT expert who returned to his home city for the protests, as quoted by the Jerusalem Post and the South China Morning Post.

Al Jazeera similarly reported that demonstrators do not believe Vucic will give up power after 12 years in office.

Coverage comparison

Coverage of the protests centers on two main locations and events. The Jerusalem Post and the South China Morning Post both describe the gathering in Kraljevo, where protesters braved a heatwave to assemble at a central square. Banners there read "Students are winning," and thousands waved Serbian flags as they rallied peacefully, according to both reports.

Al Jazeera also covered the Kraljevo protest, focusing on demonstrators' skepticism about Vucic's intentions.

Separately, TASS — English reported on an anti-government rally in Novi Sad, Serbia's second-largest city, on June 20. According to the agency's report, about 4,000 people participated there per the rally organizers, while police estimated attendance at no more than 7,800. The Interior Ministry, cited by TASS, said traffic was blocked by tractor drivers and motorcyclists during the event.

TASS also noted that representatives of several national minorities from the autonomous province of Vojvodina, including local Slovaks and Rusins, joined the Novi Sad protest. The agency reported that many participants carried Serbian flags and some held banners criticizing Vucic. No incidents were reported at that rally.

The protests trace their origins to a deadly event in late 2024. On November 1, 2024, a canopy collapsed at the railway station in Novi Sad, killing 16 people, as reported by TASS and the Jerusalem Post. The tragedy sparked large-scale protests, with participants accusing authorities of insufficient security control, according to TASS. The Jerusalem Post reported that the incident became a symbol of what many see as government mismanagement and corruption under resolutions, and that protests since have been Serbia's largest since the overthrow of Slobodan Milosevic in 2000. Vucic denies any corruption, according to the Jerusalem Post.

In 2025, protests continued throughout Serbia with demands for early parliamentary elections, TASS reported. On May 21, Vucic said that parliamentary elections would be held in the fall, from late September to mid-November, according to TASS.

Key Claims

  • Thousands of protesters gathered in Serbia's Kraljevo, as reported by Al Jazeera, the Jerusalem Post, and the South China Morning Post.
  • About 4,000 participated in an anti-government rally in Novi Sad according to organizers, while police estimated 7,800 attendees, as reported by TASS and citing the Interior Ministry.
  • Traffic was blocked by tractor drivers and motorcyclists during the Novi Sad protest, according to the Interior Ministry via TASS.
  • The collapse of the canopy at the railway station in Novi Sad in 2024 killed 16 people, as reported by TASS and the Jerusalem Post.
  • The EU has raised concerns over Serbian press freedom and the independence of the judiciary, as reported by the Jerusalem Post.