The Student Coalition That Broke a Decade of Power in Serbia
In Serbia, politics shifted dramatically when President Aleksandar Vučić conceded defeat after nearly a decade in power. Final election results showed the opposition Student List securing at least 135 seats in the 250-seat Parliament, completely overwhelming Vučić’s Serbian Progressive Party, which managed roughly 105 seats. Vučić himself acknowledged the loss plainly, telling the public that it was “clear that we have lost the election.”
This political earthquake traces its origins directly back to November 2024, when the concrete roof of a newly renovated train station in Novi Sad collapsed, killing 16 people. Enraged citizens and student activists blamed widespread government corruption and administrative negligence for the tragedy, sparking sweeping blockades across the nation’s higher education institutions. Over the following year, these demonstrations evolved into a unified political force demanding an independent judiciary, special prosecutors to police public corruption, and higher funding for essential public services.
In one day, two politicians – Bolsonaro in Brazil and Vucic in Serbia – with ties to Trump and his family have lost surprise elections, thanks to high turnout. The rise of the international far-right is not inevitable.
The resulting candidate slate for the snap parliamentary vote featured an eclectic mix of doctors, farmers, activists, athletes, and actors headed by Ilija Srdanović, a cardiologist and professor from Novi Sad. Standing amid the jubilation in the capital, a movement supporter named Sara reflected on the surreal nature of the triumph. She told The Guardian that it felt deeply strange to stand victorious on the exact Belgrade streets where police and the gendarmerie had beaten and repeatedly pushed back protesters.
Grassroots Mobilization Counters Interference in Brazil
Half a world away, a similarly fierce battle for democratic survival played out in Brazil’s high-stakes presidential runoff. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva secured a victory against Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of convicted former President Jair Bolsonaro. The elder Bolsonaro is currently serving a 27-year sentence under house arrest following his conviction for orchestrating a coup attempt after his own 2022 election defeat.
In years of genocidehope came from the youngIn Serbia2 yrs of youth-led protest -integrity, unity, perseverance- brought changeToday that hope is a rainbowits far end in BrazilMay it shinewherever wounds run deepand the young are fighting the oldHumanity will prevail pic.twitter.com/jKA6n4EmFR
The Brazilian contest took on intense international dimensions as US President Donald Trump actively pushed for political partnerships across Latin America and faced accusations of election interference on behalf of the younger Bolsonaro. In response, a student-led movement mobilized citizens through street marches in Rio de Janeiro and other urban centers. At a rally on Copacabana Beach, supporters unfurled a yellow and green banner declaring their intent to turn the tide.
Isabella Graze, a retired teacher participating in a 10-million-member WhatsApp mobilization network, framed the campaign in stark terms to The Guardian. She noted that serving as a soldier in Lula’s army meant fighting directly for the preservation of Brazilian democracy during an entirely abnormal political battle.
Feeling so much hope from the results out of Serbia and Brazil. This took tremendous people power, organizing, and grit.Now it’s time to turn our country around, too.
International Figures Reject the Inevitability of Right-Wing Authoritarianism
Prominent international figures seized upon the twin outcomes to argue against the perceived inevitability of right-wing authoritarianism. A former Obama administration official remarked on election night that there is nothing inevitable about the far right, while UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese shared a rainbow-themed message of solidarity on social media, praising the perseverance of youth-led movements bridging the Balkans and South America.
Ben Rhodes echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that the results in both countries were the direct product of so much work. Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch, summarized the mood by declaring it “a good day for democracy.” Roth pointed out that the momentum could well continue, with Israeli voters heading to the polls to potentially unseat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid ongoing war crimes accusations, followed closely by midterm elections in the United States designed to challenge the final two years of the Trump administration.
Huge respect to the organizers, activists and voters of Brazil and Serbia. These results are due to so much work and they give us so much hope. There is nothing inevitable about the far right.
More on Novi Sad
A good day for democracy, with big wins in Serbia and Brazil. Israel could be next on Tuesday, then the US midterms the following week. The best case against the autocrats is the autocrats (and how they govern with corrupt self-promotion). https://t.co/X3dgudRECn
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