Serbian populist leader Aleksandar Vucic returns to tragedy-hit Novi Sad for preelection rally

NOVI SAD, Serbia -- NOVI SAD, Serbia (AP) — Serbia 's populist leader Aleksandar Vucic on Friday staged a preelection rally in Novi Sad, the northern city where 16 people died in a train station tragedy almost two years ago setting off a wave of mass anti-government protests.Thousands of flag-waving supporters attended the gathering at a central square in Novi Sad, many bused in from other parts of the country. It was Vucic’s first big rally in the city since the protests started in November 2024. The former Serbian president and his right-wing Serbian Progressive Party, or SNS, are facing a major test in the Oct. 25 election after 14 years in power in the Balkan country. The main challenger is the Students’ List candidates supported by Serbia’s protesting university students. Serbia’s youth led the mass demonstrations demanding accountability for the concrete canopy collapse at the Novi Sad train station that many in Serbia believed was the result of bad construction work during renovation and of corruption-fueled negligence. Near daily protests rattled Vucic more than ever and protesters forced a government collapse as student rallies drew hundreds of thousands of people.Vucic's ...