Serbian President’s Power Tested by Protests

Vučič will seek to regain the initiative and build up support at his own rally on Friday ahead of tough Kosovo decisions

25 May 2023

Jan Farfał

Marcin Król Fellow

In a carefully orchestrated spin – planned for months in advance – President Vučič had sought to extend his grip on Serbia with a new national movement, aiming to unite centrist and right-wing voters. Everything was going well until mass shootings in May sparked the country’s largest protests in decades.

Tens of thousands of Serbs marched through the streets of Belgrade for the third time in a month last Friday. Some waved flags while others held up handmade placards; almost all wore solemn expressions of grief and frustration.

Editor’s Pick: Anger At Romanian Mainstream Boosts New Nativist Party

The crowd was there to protest against guns, against the continued violence in society – epitomised by two tragic mass shootings which occurred within days of each other earlier in the month. They were also calling for political action, the revoking of broadcasting licenses for two TV networks and the resignation of the interior minister, Bratislav Gasic, as well as the pro-Russian head of intelligence, Aleksandar Vulin.

Subscribe

Democratic security comes at a price. What is yours? By subscribing or donating now gain access to analysis, forecasts and scenarios by leading analysts and reporters who monitor democratic risks and develop policy debate from Central Europe on Central Europe.

MonthlyVAT included

€4/month

See all details

  • Full access to articles and reports
  • Monthly foresights and risk analysis delivered by e-mail
  • Weekly newsletter with most important highlights
  • Visegrad Insight social media community groups invitation

AnnualVAT included

€40/year

See all details

  • All monthly features PLUS…
  • Free invitation to one editorial board discussion to participate in deciding on the future direction of the Visegrad Insight
  • Free delivery of two select hardcopies of Visegrad Insight reports

Student OR Donation

Choose your contribution

See all details

  • Full access to articles and reports
  • Monthly foresights, weekly newsletters, and risk analysis delivered by e-mail
  • Free invitation to one editorial board discussion to participate in deciding on the future direction of the Visegrad Insight (annual subscription only)

Can I receive an invoice?

Yes. You will receive a receipt immediately after purchase and a VAT invoice upon request. The subscription amount includes tax. In case of a donation, there is no tax.

Are my credit card details safe?

Yes. The payment is processed by STRIPE www.stripe.com entrusted also by Amazon, Zoom, Booking.com and used by other global NGOs and businesses in the world. We do not store your credit card details.

How modify or cancel my subscription?

At any moment you can manage your subscription and account details. Sign in to modify or cancel.

Jan Farfał

Marcin Król Fellow

Marcin Król Fellow 2022/2023 at Visegrad Insight and a Doctoral candidate in Area Studies (Russia and East Europe) at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies. His project examines the ways in which émigré journals addressed their home societies behind the Iron Curtain. He is a Researcher in the project ‘Europe in a Changing World’, led by Professor Timothy Garton Ash and Professor Paul Betts, at the European Studies Center at the University of Oxford.

Newsletter

Weekly updates with our latest articles and the editorial commentary.