Serbia’s parliament descended into unprecedented chaos on Tuesday as opposition lawmakers unleashed a barrage of smoke grenades, stun grenades, pyrotechnics, and even a fire extinguisher in a dramatic protest against President Aleksandar Vučić and his government.
The explosive demonstration, which left the parliamentary chamber shrouded in smoke and echoes of confrontation, marked a bold escalation in the ongoing political crisis gripping the Balkan nation.
The unrest erupted during the opening session of Serbia’s spring parliamentary term, shortly after the ruling coalition, led by Vučić’s Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), approved the day’s agenda. Opposition MPs, furious over what they describe as systemic corruption and authoritarian rule, stormed toward the speaker’s podium, clashing with security guards. Amid the melee, flares were ignited, smoke grenades were hurled, and a fire extinguisher was discharged, sending plumes of powder and haze through the air. Some lawmakers unfurled a banner declaring, “Serbia rises up to bring down the regime,” while others lobbed eggs in a symbolic act of defiance.
The protest inside parliament mirrored the growing unrest on Serbia’s streets, where student-led demonstrators have rallied for months following the tragic collapse of a railway station canopy in Novi Sad last November, which killed 15 people. That disaster, widely blamed on shoddy construction and government corruption, has fueled a broader movement against Vučić’s 12-year tenure, with accusations of cronyism, media censorship, and unaccountability mounting.
Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabić, a close ally of Vučić, condemned the opposition’s actions, reporting that two lawmakers were injured in the chaos—one critically, after suffering a stroke. “The parliament will continue to work and defend Serbia,” Brnabić declared, vowing resilience in the face of disruption. Outside, thousands of students gathered in solidarity with the opposition, amplifying calls for systemic change.
Vučić’s administration has struggled to quell the rising discontent. The government has oscillated between dismissing the protests as foreign-orchestrated plots and offering concessions, such as the resignation of Prime Minister Miloš Vučević in January. Yet, Tuesday’s dramatic scenes suggest that opposition forces—both inside and outside parliament—are digging in for a prolonged fight.
Analysts say this could be the most significant challenge yet to Vučić’s grip on power, which has relied on a blend of economic growth, nationalist rhetoric, and control over state institutions. With the economy thriving relative to regional peers, Vučić has maintained support among some Serbians, but the Novi Sad tragedy and subsequent protests have exposed deep fissures. “This isn’t just about a building collapse anymore—it’s a referendum on Vučić’s rule,” said Marko Petrović, a political commentator in Belgrade.
