Innovation Center is responsible for participation of Institute for Contemporary History on the Horizon project Re-engaging with neighbors in a state of war and geopolitical tensions (RE:ENGAGE). The aim of the consortium, led by the Norwegian Institute of International Relations (NUPI) is to explore the causes and consequences of stalling of integration process in European neighborhood and its backsliding.
Contact person: Dr. Vladimir Petrović.
Project team members and consortium members institutions
Opening conference, January 2024 in Brussels
Predrag Marković, Luka Filipović and Vladimir Petrović at the opening conference
Vladimir Petrovic reflecting on aspects of this topic at University of Texas Austin’s Balkan Circle, and writing about the dangers ahead via Eurozine: From Your Ex-Yugo: The Doomsday Clock is Still Ticking, Review of Democracy
Predrag Marković on European identity in the Balkans
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May 2025: Center’s survey results show overwhelming popular support for the protests in Serbia
In the framework of its Re:Engage project, the Center has conducted a public opinion survey which aimed to establish to which degree is citizenry supportive of the students’ protests. These protests are ongoing since late 2024. The demands, which brought universities to a halt and hundreds of thousands of people in the streets, revolve around introducing political accountability, institutional authority and rule of law in Serbia. Between March and April we made 562 surveys, stratifying our sample across Serbia (148 in Belgrade, 167 in Vojvodina region, 136 in Šumadija and Western Serbia, and 111 in Eastern and Southern Serbia). Overall, 83.1% percent of respondents are in support of the students, whereas 16.9 are not.
This map shows the breakdown by regions:
Among the reasons in support of the protests, respondents tend to emphasize:
– because they are our future (55.6%)
– because before this, I thought that there was no hope (19.27%)
– because the students have returned our dignity (15.63%)
– because they haven’t expected much from this generation before the protests (6%)
Among the reasons not to support the protests, respondents tend to emphasize
– that students are an instrument of the opposition (22.11%)
– that these protests are leading nowhere (34.74%)
– that protests are only creating chaos in the country (16.46%)
– while 22.01% are admitting that they don’t understand the students and the protests.
These preliminary key findings of the survey will be soon supplemented by a detailed analysis and breakdown of the results according to the respondents age, income, education, gender and other relevant parameters. We are thankful to our colleagues who disseminated the survey (Marko Miletić, Rade Ristanović, Nebojša Stambolija, Miloš Žikić and others).
We also are emphasizing that the survey was conducted at the height of the upheavals, which probably accounts for the overwhelming support. It can as well be that many who were not in support were not interested in filling the questionnaire. But even with this in mind, we were genuinely surprised, as the results indicate almost a plebiscite-like support for the students, making it an unique case in Serbian political history. Similar results are reported by much wider survey conducted by the Institute for Social Sciences.
As the protests are still unfolding, we are remaining attentive and committed to understanding them.
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November 2025: Presentation of research findings about the Serbian 2025 protests in Washington D.C.
REegage team (Dr Luka Filipovic and Dr Kristian Lefdal) presented their findings on the character and dynamics of Serbian protests, which are lasting for well over the year. In order to communicate their research results, a panel was made at the annual convention of Association for Slavic, East European and Euroasian studies, held in Washington D.C. Chaired by Professor Predrag Markovic, the panel offered an informative overview and critical analysis of the situation in Serbia, where sets of student, civic and other forms of protests are challenging its hybrid regime with novel forms of resistance, seeking for accountability of captured institutions and fostering the principles of rule of to secure good governance.
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