Serbia votes in historic election as students seek to end Vucic’s long grip on power

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By Mina PEJAKOVIC AFP | Posted by TOE Voting was under way in Serbia on Sunday in what is set to be its most fiercely contested parliamentary election in more than 14 years, as a student-led movement seeks to oust the party of veteran leader Aleksandar Vucic. The snap vote is the culmination of nearly two years of student-led protests sparked by the 2024 collapse of a canopy at Novi Sad railway station that killed 16 people — a tragedy widely blamed on corruption. The disaster triggered some of Serbia’s largest protests since the fall of strongman Slobodan Milosevic in 2000. The Students’ List, a selection of candidates backed by the largely leaderless movement, now poses the biggest challenge to Vucic’s right-wing populist Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), which has dominated politics throughout its tenure. – High turnout – Eighteen electoral lists are vying for seats in Serbia’s 250-member parliament, but polls suggest ...
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Gen Z protesters rally across Morocco demanding health, education reforms

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By Ahmed Eljechtimi Reuters

A heavy security presence on Monday evening thwarted for a straight third day youth-led protests across several Moroccan cities, where demonstrators have sought to rally for improvements to the public health and education systems.

The protests were organized online by a loosely formed anonymous youth group calling itself “GenZ 212,” using platforms including TikTok, Instagram and gaming application Discord.

The government and judicial authorities have not yet communicated on the incidents and arrests and the interior ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

On Monday evening, dozens were arrested as authorities prevented the group from holding protests in cities including Rabat, Casablanca, Agadir, Tangier and Oujda.

In Rabat, a Reuters witness saw plainclothes officers arresting young protesters as they tried to chant slogans or speak to the press.

The president of a child protection association, Najat Anouar, was arrested as she was speaking to media and released two hours later.

“I came here to investigate allegations that the under-age have been arrested and got arrested myself,” she told Reuters.

One group of protesters in downtown Rabat briefly managed to shout “freedom, dignity, and social justice”, a slogan echoing the 2011 demonstrations that prompted a constitutional reform devolving more powers from the Moroccan monarchy to the elected government.

“We want a better health system and accountability,” said Brahim, 25, moments before fleeing as police sought to prevent people joining the protest.

On Sunday night in Casablanca, protesters briefly blocked a major highway, while in Agadir, videos circulating on social media showed police dispersing students near the university campus.

The recent wave of youth anger was sparked by earlier protests in Agadir over poor hospital conditions, which quickly spread to other cities.

The movement has adopted as its rallying symbol a pirate flag from the Japanese anime series “One Piece”, a logo also used recently by youth-led, anti-regime protests in Indonesia and Nepal.

Demonstrators have denounced inadequate care, understaffed facilities, and a lack of medical resources.

Morocco’s unemployment rate stands at 12.8%, with youth unemployment reaching 35.8% and 19% among graduates, according to the national statistics agency.



from The Times Of Earth https://ift.tt/Mih8zU3

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