In photos, the Serbian students pushing for change ahead of a watershed election

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Serbia will hold an early parliamentary election on Sunday, with a grassroots, student-backed movement seeking to end 14 years of rule by the country’s powerful leader and his right-wing populist party.

Aleksandar Vucic, the authoritarian former president, is seeking to return to power as prime minister. But he faces a serious challenge from a movement born out of almost two years of protests demanding change.

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

As they prepared for a rally three days before the vote, Serbian students shared their hopes with The Associated Press for the country’s future and considered whether the election offered a final chance to put Serbia on a more democratic path.

Mina Pejovic, 26

“I think we can achieve big changes at the moment, but I don’t know if it will be possible to fully achieve what we planned.”

Ilhan Kokor, 21

“This is something that can really make a difference, a huge difference, not just to dethrone one man or one person, but to go toward a healthy society based on integrity, honor and honesty.”

Vojislav Adamovic, 24

“I don’t think this is the last chance, I believe that this struggle is eternal ... Only after this does the real work begin.”

Andjela Radojevic, 25

"I see Serbia in five years as a democratic country where we’ll be able to live freely, where everyone will do their job, where experts will be put to work in their fields of expertise, where there’s no corruption, ... where everyone is accountable for their deeds and where law would apply equally to all.”

Andja Prica, 20

“It’s a crucial moment for the struggle that has been ongoing for the past two years and even before that, but I think that even if we don’t meet our expectations now, it’s not the last gasp.”

Martin Rabrenovic, 20

“I see Serbia in five years as a country turned more toward democracy, less totalitarian than now, where democracy exists for real, not just empty promises and words.”

Mateja Radosavljevic, 20

“This enthusiasm of the people is hard to replicate, and I think what we’ve achieved in these two years with the blockades is a great opportunity, and it raised the political consciousness in Serbia.”

Maja Brajovic, 27

“I hope a new spirit and a new energy will come to power and that everything will be much different.”

Mihajlo Zivkovic, 20

“ (Something) that is very important to me is that the air should be much cleaner, we need to make greater efforts in ecology, green spaces. We have huge problems in this sphere, especially in cities.”

Vuk Nektarijevic, 21

“In case of victory, I see Serbia as a newborn country with a national identity, and in case of defeat I see chaos and the disappearance of everything we identify with Serbia.”

Vuk Nektarijevic, student of mechanical engineering, from Belgrade, 21, poses for a photo ahead of the election in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Vuk Nektarijevic, student of mechanical engineering, from Belgrade, 21, poses for a photo ahead of the election in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Maja Brajovic, student of electrical engineering, From Uzice, 27, poses for a photo ahead of the election in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Maja Brajovic, student of electrical engineering, From Uzice, 27, poses for a photo ahead of the election in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Mateja Radosavljevic, student of law, from Belgrade, 20, poses for a photo ahead of the election in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Mateja Radosavljevic, student of law, from Belgrade, 20, poses for a photo ahead of the election in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Mihajlo Zivkovic, student of computer sciences, from Pancevo, 20, poses for a photo ahead of the election in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Mihajlo Zivkovic, student of computer sciences, from Pancevo, 20, poses for a photo ahead of the election in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Martin Rabrenovic, student of civil engineering, from Belgrade, 20, poses for a photo ahead of the election in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Martin Rabrenovic, student of civil engineering, from Belgrade, 20, poses for a photo ahead of the election in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Andja Prica, student of architecture, from Belgrade, 20, poses for a photo ahead of the election in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Andja Prica, student of architecture, from Belgrade, 20, poses for a photo ahead of the election in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Vojislav Adamovic, student of architecture, from Belgrade, 24, poses for a photo ahead of the election in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Vojislav Adamovic, student of architecture, from Belgrade, 24, poses for a photo ahead of the election in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Andjela Radojevic, student of business, from Belgrade, 25, poses for a photo ahead of the election in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Andjela Radojevic, student of business, from Belgrade, 25, poses for a photo ahead of the election in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Ilhan Kokor, student of psychology, from Belgrade, 21, poses for a photo ahead of the election in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Ilhan Kokor, student of psychology, from Belgrade, 21, poses for a photo ahead of the election in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Mina Pejovic, student of pharmacy, from Belgrade, 26, poses for a photo ahead of the election in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Mina Pejovic, student of pharmacy, from Belgrade, 26, poses for a photo ahead of the election in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump, seeking to help Republican Sen. Susan Collins in a tough reelection battle in Maine, is exempting some imports — including plywood sheets, packing crates and some machinery — from the 50% tariffs he slapped on $20 billion worth of Canadian products over the summer. The changes will take effect Oct. 30.

The White House said the president was seeking to offset "the burden to U.S. commerce while better serving the public interest.''

Collins, locked in a tight race with Democratic challenger Troy Jackson, issued a statement saying she'd spoken with Trump's top trade negotiator, Jamieson Greer, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick "about the toll tariffs are taking on Maine families, businesses, farmers, and growers.''

"Many of our farmers and growers rely on specialized equipment, packaging materials, and other products from Canada that are either unavailable from American suppliers or cannot be replaced without incurring significant expense,” Collins said.

She said she asked for tariff relief for such products “and stressed the burdens additional costs impose on Maine businesses and families.”

Collins said she'd seek "additional relief from tariffs and encourage a broader trade agreement with Canada, our neighbor, ally, and largest trading partner.”

Trump started a trade war with America’s longstanding ally and northern neighbor, reaching back to a Depression-era trade law to impose tariffs on Canadian imports. He charged that Canada discriminates against U.S. dairy, auto and alcoholic beverage producers. Canada promptly lashed back with tariffs of 15% to 50% on American products, matching Trump’s import taxes dollar for dollar.

Trump ratcheted the dispute up from there last month by imposing a flat-out ban on $1 billion worth of Canadian imports, including alcoholic beverages, dairy products and motorcycles.

The U.S. president has claimed that foreign countries pay his tariffs. In fact, U.S. importers do. And they often face the tough choice of having to pass along the higher costs to their customers or absorb them.

As the Nov. 3 midterm elections approach, many Americans are furious about the cost of living. An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll of 2,140 U.S. adults, conducted Sept. 24-28, found that 65% now blame Trump’s policies for persistently high prices more than factors outside of his control, signaling weariness over his aggressive use of tariffs and unhappiness with the war with Iran, which has driven up the price of gasoline.

Collins complained that Trump’s levies were hurting Maine farms and businesses that rely on Canadian imports when U.S.-made alternatives are not available. Her office cited the example of Maine wild blueberry growers who need specialized harvesting boxes from Canada that work with their processing equipment.

Sen. Susan Collins speaks to reporters following a campaign stop Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, in Lewiston, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)