During the weekend, various German media reported on protests and bridge blockades occurring in Novi Sad. KNA highlighted pop star Madonna’s support for Serbian students, while public broadcaster rbb covered solidarity rallies that took place in Berlin.

The press is also featuring in-depth analyses and opinions. Under the headline “Autocracy in the Making,” the Berlin Tagesspiegel asserts that both students and wide sectors of society are standing up against the Serbian authorities, extending beyond just major cities.

“Aleksandar Vučić can no longer rally his supporters as he once did. The narrative suggesting that these protests are orchestrated from abroad has lost its credibility,” the leftist publication observes.

The article points out that individuals in Serbia cannot rely on external support at a time when liberal democracies are under threat, while Vučić enjoys backing from autocrats like Orban and Putin.

According to the newspaper, “Europe’s and Germany’s Balkan policy continues to raise questions. For the sake of lithium resources, Berlin and Europe seem prepared to endorse Vučić,” noting that stability is perceived in Serbia, though under an authoritarian regime, it should not be considered stable.

The Rheinische Post remarked that while the impact of Donald Trump’s presidency is being felt, an opposing trend is also emerging – protests against autocrats are growing, seen in Serbia, Slovakia, and Hungary.

The publication highlights Serbia as a case study showing “the catastrophic effects of eliminating the separation of powers in a corrupt authoritarian state.”

A Belgrade correspondent mentions that the costs for renovating the Novi Sad Railway Station increased from 3.5 million to 16 million euros, with the opening ceremony taking place without the necessary permits. This led to the roof collapsing and subsequent protests.

“Vučić’s attempts to pacify his disgruntled citizens with a combination of threats and concessions appear ineffective,” the article states.

“Inspired by the protests, an increasing number of Serbs are overcoming their fear of retaliation from the authoritarian regime or potential job loss. Even public officials who faced repression for years, including judges, educators, and journalists from state-controlled RTS, are showing camaraderie with the protests,” it continues.

The conclusion affirms that Vučić and the SNS are unlikely to relinquish their power willingly, indicating this may be the dawn of the end for the autocratic regime.

The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung also touched on the question of the protests’ direction in its Sunday issue. The paper noted that many are optimistic about these protests because, unlike prior movements, they are not being led by an unpopular opposition.

“There are no prominent figures attached to the protest leadership that the public recognizes. This renders the inflammatory media’s usual tactics ineffective. In past years, when a seemingly formidable competitor emerged to threaten Vučić’s authority, the media would launch smear campaigns, sometimes bolstered by intelligence documents,” the report explains.

“So far, this strategy has not been effective against the students. The movement functions via assemblies grounded in direct democracy,” the article describes the gatherings. “However, some analysts believe that while the current strength of the movement is impressive, it might pose a long-term vulnerability.”

The largest Swiss publication, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, echoed similar sentiments over the weekend. Although all scenarios remain possible, it is “undeniable that the momentum in the streets of Serbia will eventually dissipate unless it translates into a political strategy.”

“Regardless of how pressing the protest demands may be, determining when they have been fulfilled is critical. The movement’s detachment from discredited institutional politics is both its strength and potential drawback,” the Zurich paper concludes.

Additionally, weekly magazine Spiegel conducted a brief interview with Vedran Džihić from the Austrian Institute for International Politics, where he emphasized that what’s novel is that students are not permitting the opposition to hijack the protests. He emphasized a different critical question:

“The regime is fostering a narrative filled with threats, promises of peace, nationalistic sentiment, and warnings about the criminal opposition. Some individuals still resonate with these messages. The ruling SNS has 800,000 members and maintains absolute authority in nearly all municipalities. The key question is how far the regime is willing to resort to violence,” Džihić commented.

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