Serbian Opposition: The Meeting of the Rejected and the Student Blockade – Who Ignores Whom and Why?
Is there even a united opposition in Serbia, or is it just a bunch of rejected groups fighting to survive? Yesterday’s “round table” convened by Miroslav Aleksić, president of the People’s Movement of Serbia (NPS), was a drama without an audience – a meeting of opposition parties that mostly ignored the students from the “Students Blockade” movement.
Meeting of the Rejected or the Beginning of Something New?
Aleksić tried to unite the opposition around the topic of electoral conditions and revision of the voter list. Most parliamentary opposition parties responded to the invitation, but the student blockade refused to participate. Analysts called this gathering a “meeting of the rejected” – because those marginalized tried to find salvation in unity.
Professor Aleksandar Kavčić and NPS MP Ana Jakovljević exchanged statements, while faculty plenums mostly remained silent or withdrew at the last moment. The student blockade, who have been in the spotlight for months due to protests and faculty blockades, did not want to mingle with parties that have poor ratings and which they consider inauthentic representatives of the opposition.
Why Do the Student Blockade Ignore Opposition Parties?
The student blockade clearly indicated that they do not want to be part of the political games of parties that, in their opinion, have lost credibility. Their popularity is rising precisely because they distance themselves from traditional political structures. Opposition parties, on the other hand, desperately seek a way to stay relevant and see the students as their last lifeline.
Political analyst Ognjen Gogić says opposition parties want “artificial breathing” and salvation through joint action, but the student blockade is not a political party and has its own autonomy. He believes that the next steps of the opposition will depend precisely on the students, who have the greatest public support.
Division Within the Opposition – Who’s Who?
The meeting was not attended by the Democratic Party (DS), the Nada coalition, the Kreni promeni movement, and Proglas, which is not surprising. DS decided to hand over its autonomy to the student blockade, while the Nada coalition remains separate. New parties like DSS and POKS appear as guardians of old values but are also marginalized.
Nikola Parun, a political analyst, points out that the division within the opposition is deep and it is difficult to expect unity until the student blockade decides to get involved. He believes the meeting could be successful only if initiated by the students themselves.
What’s Next?
Opposition parties are currently at a dead end. On one hand, they want to unite and show strength, but on the other, they cannot overcome distrust and differences with the students. The student blockade, for their part, continue protests and blockades, keeping away from parties they consider compromised.
This situation is a real political soap opera with elements of tragedy and comedy. Will the opposition manage to unite or will it remain a “meeting of the rejected”? Will the student blockade accept the invitation to dialogue or continue to ignore the parties? These are questions we will wait to see answered.
Conclusion
Serbia is currently witnessing a political crisis within the opposition. While the government rules calmly, the opposition struggles with internal divisions and disunity. The student blockade is a new force changing the rules of the game, but they also have their conditions and principles. Miroslav Aleksić and NPS try to be the leaders of the opposition, but without the support of the students and the wider public, it is a difficult task.
If you have your own take on this political soap opera or if this story is already familiar to you, feel free to drop a comment. Maybe your word will spark something new in this vicious circle!
This text is based solely on information from available sources and contains no fabrications.
