In Belgrade this week, a group of student protesters gathered outside the headquarters of Serbia’s national power company (EPS), demanding justice for Dragoslav Ljubicic, a former employee who was dismissed after publicly supporting recent anti-government protests. As the protest unfolded, the students were confronted with an unexpected revelation: Ljubicic was a member of the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDS). This led to the spontaneous chant, “No Politics”, a moment that encapsulated the essence of the protests sweeping Serbia today.

At their core, these protests are apolitical. Despite their massive mobilisation—triggered by the fatal collapse of a canopy roof at Novi Sad railway station in November 2024—Serbia’s protesters are not rallying behind any single political ideology or party. They are not demanding regime change, nor are they seeking to align with the fractured opposition. What they demand is far simpler, and yet far more elusive: transparency, accountability and a functioning rule of law.

This has left the opposition parties — who have been unable to mount a meaningful challenge to the government for over a decade — caught off guard. For once, the protests are not theirs to steer, and they have struggled to provide an alternative vision to the disillusioned public. As Julian Borger aptly noted in a recent Guardian article, “There is a troubling question hanging over the euphoria: now what?”

Boris Stanisic, a student organiser from the Belgrade Faculty of Law, insists, “We are not talking about changing the regime, toppling anyone. We are fighting for the rule of law, for the institutions to start doing their jobs.” His words reflect the core sentiment of the movement: this is not about an ideological opposition to the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), but rather about pushing for basic governance reforms that have long been absent. Serbia’s protests, like some in other parts of Europe, are rooted in dissatisfaction with state institutions and the erosion of democratic norms.

Yet, despite the protests' potency, there is a glaring question: where are they headed? The ruling SNS, led by President Aleksandar Vucic, has been in power for over a decade, overseeing economic stability while critics accuse it of rampant corruption, attempts at election fraud and suppression of democratic freedoms. The recent protests have exposed a growing dissatisfaction with these practices, particularly in the aftermath of the disputed December 2023 elections, which were marred by allegations of fraud.

However, the absence of a viable political alternative has left the protesters wary of aligning with the fragmented opposition. The opposition is divided, with no figure strong enough to unite the disparate forces against Vucic. The comparison to Serbia’s Otpor! movement, which played a key role in toppling Slobodan Milosevic in 2000, has been inevitable — but the differences are striking.

In the late 1990s, Serbia’s political system was on the brink of collapse, driven by a decade of war, sanctions and economic ruin. The population was unified by a single cause — ousting Milosevic — and Vojislav Kostunica emerged as the figurehead of the opposition, offering a clear vision of democratic change. Today, there is no such unifying figure, and the opposition remains unable to capitalise on the discontent of the masses.

Unlike the chaotic years leading up to the fall of Milosevic, Serbia today is not in a state of systemic collapse. While Vucic’s regime is deeply unpopular among certain groups, other sections of society believe that successive SNS governments have delivered economic growth and improved living standards. Moreover, the international context has shifted. While Milosevic faced intense international isolation, Vucic has managed to maintain good relations with the Western powers, as well as with China and Russia. Despite occasional statements of concern from the EU, Vucic is seen as pro-EU membership and as a linchpin of stability by Western powers.

Even though the political opposition is fractured and the students lack a clear path forward, the protests continue to serve as a reminder of the power of civil society. Unlike many of its regional neighbours, where protests often fizzle out without substantial impact, Serbia has shown that its civil society is still alive and well. This is a sign of hope — a vital force in any democracy. However, the protests’ apolitical nature raises an important question: Can they coalesce into a coherent challenge to Vucic, or will they dissipate without achieving substantial political change?

That will depend on whether a political leader or movement will emerge that is capable of uniting the disillusioned and channelling their frustration into a viable alternative. Without such a leader, the protests may remain a potent expression of public dissatisfaction, but one without the politics and impetus needed to transform that dissatisfaction into meaningful political change.