Emotions ran high in Belgrade on Monday after a student-led movement upset the right-wing populist Aleksandar Vucic's party in Serbia's snap election. A celebratory mood gripped the capital, with drivers honking their horns and passers-by holding up three fingers -- the winning list's ballot number and a Serbian greeting. Many wore badges and other symbols of the student movement, while a large group of residents spent the day cleaning up a park between parliament and the presidency after Vucic loyalists, who had camped there for more than a year, fled. FRANCE 24's Mark Owen speaks with researchers and political activist Aleksandar Matković.

The French government met student representatives on Monday (October 26) following weeks of unrest. Students who had been demanding a meeting for weeks hail progress. Nonetheless they are now calling for fresh demonstrations next Saturday (October 31) to press for further measures. Details by FRANCE 24’s French Politics Editor Marc Perelman.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the government would announce “concrete measures" on Monday (October 26) to address school students’ demands after weeks of unrest. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu was scheduled to meet with students later Monday. FRANCE 24's Luke Shrago reports from the ground.

Serbia's student-led protest movement won a historic victory in parliamentary ⁠election, ending the ​long rule of Aleksandar Vucic and sparking mass celebrations. But their yet-to-be named leaders face a long list of issues. FRANCE 24's Angela Diffley gives us her analysis.

Serbia's student-led movement declared victory in parliamentary elections Sunday ending 14 years in power for Aleksandar Vucic's right-wing populist party. Vucic conceded defeat less than two hours after polls closed, triggering raucous scenes in the capital as supporters of the movement celebrated the defeat of a government they blamed for deep-rooted corruption.

French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is set to meet with high school students on Monday afternoon (October 26) to ease tensions in the country after nearly a month of protests. This follows another meeting in which French president Emmanuel Macron promised a concrete response to demands for better education standards and funding.

Celebrations erupted across several Serbian cities late Sunday (October 25) as people hailed the student-backed movement deposing veteran leader Aleksandar Vucic's party in a snap election.

Serbia's Aleksandar Vucic conceded defeat in an historic election on Sunday (October 25) following a near to 70% turnout at polling stations. The snap election followed nearly two years of student-led demonstrations against perceived corruption and authoritarianism triggered by the deaths of 16 people when a train station canopy collapsed in the ‌city of Novi Sad in 2024. FRANCE 24's Laurent Rouy tells us more.

France is bracing for another weekend of protests, after violence erupted on the sidelines of last week's mobilisations. Paris is extending a partial curfew in parts of the city until Monday, while protests are banned altogether in the cities of Marseille and Lyon. 70,000 security personnel will be deployed on Saturday and only union demonstrations will be authorised.

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to meet with high school pupils whose protests over school conditions have sparked a broader movement. Details by Philippe Moreau-Chevrolet, communication specialist and teacher at Sciences Po.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez held a press conference on security arrangements ahead of upcoming protests. He announced that 70,000 security forces would be mobilised on October 24 to keep order.

Jean-Emile Jammine is pleased to welcome Gökçe Tuncel, Sociologist and post-doctoral researcher associated with the Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC). For Tuncel, the wave of youth-led protests across France, Albania, India and Italy reveals more than a succession of localized grievances. It signals the emergence of a political consciousness shaped by material insecurity, institutional disillusionment and an increasingly explicit demand for solidarity and social justice. "What is really striking about this Gen Z movement is how clearly young people see their material conditions," Tuncel observes.

Russia is ready to resume three-way talks with Ukraine and the United States, but on the security parameters of a final peace d al and not a "short" ceasefire, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday.

Can Europe continue to sustain one of the world's most ambitious social models while falling increasingly behind its major economic competitors? For Pascal Lamy, former European Commissioner for Trade and former Director-General of the World Trade Organization, this question lies at the heart of the continent's mounting economic and political tensions. Lamy looks beyond the immediate turmoil in France to identify a deeper European predicament: a widening disconnect between the continent's social commitments and its capacity to generate the economic growth needed to sustain them.

Facing US sanctions, the International Criminal Court was on Thursday awarded the European Union's top rights prize, in a show of support that risks upsetting President Donald Trump. "The European Union is built on respect for multilateralism and international institutions, and this prize recognises the important work of the court in upholding international law and justice," said European Parliament chief Roberta Metsola in announcing the award. The ICC thanked the European Parliament for giving it the Sakharov Prize "at a time when the Court and its officials face unprecedented challenges". FRANCE 24's International Affairs Commentator Douglas Herbert has more.

In Paris, shopkeepers fear further losses ahead of a demonstration planned for next Saturday. After last weekend’s protests saw scenes of vandalism, some are considering closing their shops, while others plan to stay open.

Ukraine and Russia exchanged drone and missile strikes on Thursday, killing seven people in Ukraine, according to authorities. Moscow said it had intercepted 630 Ukrainian drones targeting the Russian capital. The strikes came hours after US envoy Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. Witkoff said Moscow was ready to resume trilateral talks with Kyiv and Washington.

The French "interfac" student movement organised new protests on Thursday, even though it is currently the school holidays in France. Student representatives are set to meet soon with Education Minister Edouard Geffray. Details by FRANCE 24's Ellen Gainsford.

Italian truck drivers have been blocking refineries and key roads to protest against soaring diesel prices. Italy’s government has warned truckers blocking roads could face criminal penalties, as authorities move to clear demonstrations. Details by FRANCE 24's correspondent in Rome, Seema Gupta.

A US envoy met Putin in Saint Petersburg on Wednesday after the Kremlin agreed to resume peace talks with Ukraine and the United States. Details by FRANCE 24's correspondent Gulliver Cragg.