Traffic blockades held throughout Serbia against populist government over roof collapse tragedy

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Residents throughout Serbia stopped in silence for 15 minutes on Friday as part of persistent anti-government protests following the collapse last month of a concrete canopy in the country's north that killed 15 people.

Traffic blockades have taken place each Friday since Nov. 1 at 11:52 a.m., the exact time when the canopy at the railway station building in Novi Sad crashed down on people who were sitting or strolling below on a sunny day.

Initially, 14 people were killed and three were injured, but one more person later died while hospitalized. The two injured remain hospitalized weeks later.

The station building was renovated twice in recent years. Many in Serbia believe rampant corruption led to sloppy work on the building reconstruction, which was part of a wider railroad project with Chinese state companies.

The collapse also has become a flashpoint for broader dissatisfaction with the growingly autocratic rule of populist President Aleksandar Vučić, reflecting public demands for democratic changes.

Thousands of people, led by university students, on Wednesday evening held a noisy rally outside the state RTS television building over the station's pro-government editorial policies.

RTS has broadcast Vučić's accusations that students were paid from the West and elsewhere to hold protests to overthrow his government.

Friday's traffic blockades took place at dozens of locations throughout the country. Some participants held up their hands in red-painted rubber gloves, a symbol of the protests telling the authorities they have “blood on their hands.”

Serbian media reported that a car rammed through protesters at a blockade spot in Novi Sad. A similar incident was reported a week ago when four musicians were injured while participating in a silent traffic blockade in central Belgrade.

Street protests in recent weeks also occasionally turned violent when pro-government thugs showed up to disrupt opposition-led gatherings and student demonstrations.

Classes at more than 50 university faculties and a number of secondary schools throughout Serbia have been suspended for days.

Serbia's farmers also on Friday blocked a road in central Serbia with their tractors, holding a banner featuring a bloody hand. An actors' guild announced daily protests outside theaters.

Vučić's government has sought to cushion mounting dissatisfaction by publishing around 130 documents related to the railway station building renovation, which has been one of the protest demands.

Prosecutors have arrested 13 people, but a government minister has been released. This has fueled skepticism over the proceedings as the governing populists hold firm control over both police and the judiciary.

Vučić has imposed a tight grip over all state institutions and mainstream media since coming to power more than a decade ago and despite pledging to lead Serbia into the European Union.

People hold a banner that reads "You have blood on your hands" and stop traffic during a silent protest to commemorate the 15 victims of a railway roof collapse six weeks ago, demand accountability for the tragedy, in Belgrade, Serbia, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

People hold a banner that reads "You have blood on your hands" and stop traffic during a silent protest to commemorate the 15 victims of a railway roof collapse six weeks ago, demand accountability for the tragedy, in Belgrade, Serbia, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

People stopping traffic stand in silence to commemorate the 15 victims of a railway roof collapse six weeks ago, demand accountability for the tragedy, in Belgrade, Serbia, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

People stopping traffic hold placards and stand in silence to commemorate the 15 victims of a railway roof collapse six weeks ago, demand accountability for the tragedy, in Belgrade, Serbia, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

People stopping traffic stand in silence to commemorate the 15 victims of a railway roof collapse six weeks ago, demand accountability for the tragedy, in Belgrade, Serbia, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday named centrist ally François Bayrou as prime minister in an effort to address the country's deep political crisis, after a historic parliamentary vote ousted the previous government last week.

Bayrou, 73, a crucial partner in Macron’s centrist alliance, has been a well-known figure in French politics for decades. His political experience is seen as key in efforts to restore stability as no single party holds a majority at the National Assembly.

Macron’s office said in a statement that Bayrou “has been charged with forming a new government.”

Former Prime Minister Michel Barnier resigned last week following a no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes in the National Assembly, leaving France without a functioning government. Macron in an address to the nation vowed to remain in office until his term ends in 2027.

Bayrou is expected to hold talks with political leaders from various parties in the coming days in order to choose new ministers.

The task appears challenging because Macron’s centrist alliance does not have a majority in parliament and Bayrou’s Cabinet will need to rely on moderate lawmakers from both the left and right to be able to stay in power.

Some conservatives are expected to be part of the new government.

Macron’s strategy aims at preventing far-right leader Marine Le Pen from holding “make or break” power over the government. Le Pen helped oust Barnier by joining her National Rally party’s forces to the left to pass the no-confidence motion last week.

The president of the National Rally, Jordan Bardella, said Friday his party will take a wait-and-see approach for now. “Our red lines are still there, they’re not going to change,” he warned.

National Rally officials, including Le Pen, have said they want any new budget law to preserve the purchasing power of the French people.

Bayrou’s appointment comes also in line with Macron’s efforts to build a non-aggression pact with the Socialists so that they commit not to vote against the government in any future confidence motion.

Mathilde Panot, head of the hard-left France Unbowed group at the National Assembly, criticized Bayrou’s appointment in a message on X as “the continuity of (Macron’s) bad policies.” She said her party is ready to vote for a no-confidence motion again against the new government.

Bayrou leads the centrist Democratic Movement, known as MoDem, which he founded in 2007.

In 2017, he supported Macron’s first presidential bid and became a weighty partner in the French president’s centrist alliance.

At the time, he was appointed justice minister, but he quickly resigned from the government amid an investigation into the MoDem’s alleged embezzlement of European Parliament funds.

Bayrou this year was cleared in the case by a Paris court, which found eight other party officials guilty and sentenced the party to pay a fine.

Bayrou became well known to the French public when he was education minister from 1993 to 1997 in a conservative government.

He was three times a candidate for president, in 2002, 2007 and 2012.

FILE - French centrist party MoDem (Mouvement Democrate) leader Francois Bayrou leaves after a meeting with France's President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, France, Tuesday, June 21, 2022. French President Emmanuel Macron names key centrist ally François Bayrou as new prime minister Friday Dec.13 2024. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File)

FILE - French centrist party MoDem (Mouvement Democrate) leader Francois Bayrou speaks to reporters after a meeting with France's President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, France, Tuesday, June 21, 2022. French President Emmanuel Macron names key centrist ally François Bayrou as new prime minister Friday Dec.13 2024. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File)

FILE - French centrist party MoDem (Mouvement Democrate) leader Francois Bayrou speaks to reporters after a meeting with France's President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, France, Tuesday, June 21, 2022. French President Emmanuel Macron names key centrist ally François Bayrou as new prime minister Friday Dec.13 2024. (AP Photo/Francois Mori, File)

FILE - French President Emmanuel Macron, right, meets French centrist party MoDem (Mouvement Democrate) leader Francois Bayrou at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, Tuesday, June 21, 2022. French President Emmanuel Macron names key centrist ally François Bayrou as new prime minister Friday Dec.13 2024. (Ludovic Marin/Pool photo via AP, File)