WIADOMOŚCI

Serbia’s Election Day Sparks Massive Protests, Police Use Riot Gear

Analiza

The pre‑election atmosphere in Serbia has been volatile for weeks, with opposition parties mobilising large crowds ahead of the early parliamentary vote. On 25 October 2026, turnout reached 64.89 % by 18:00, the highest since the breakup of Yugoslavia, prompting authorities to keep polling stations open past 20:00. In Belgrade, police and gendarmerie surrounded the parliament, the presidential office and the Republic Electoral Commission, deploying armored vehicles and crowd‑control equipment. Demonstrators, many wearing hooded masks, converged on the central square and were met with tear‑gas canisters, resulting in dozens of arrests. Observers from the Centre for Free and Fair Elections (CeSID) logged 260 reports of irregularities and violence at voting sites. The European Union’s ambassador, Andreas von Beckerath, publicly expressed deep concern over the incidents, urging all parties to maintain calm and respect democratic norms.