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unpredictable at this moment. While the majority of voters are disappointed by the performance of the ruling coalition that seems to have managed to stay in power, they do not share the same view regarding the alternatives, which gives a chance to the “grand coalition” if it manages to agree over a single candidate.
Low-income voters at home or in the diaspora facing economic hardship tend to support nationalist, far-right parties with vocal rhetorics and hidden agendas. Meanwhile, the more educated electorate point to the corruption in the public sector, dysfunctional judiciary and poor public services but find few alternatives. Ultranationalist independent candidate Calin Georgescu for the former group of voters and head of the reformist Union Save Romania (USR) Elena Lasconi for the latter made it to the second round of the presidential elections, best showing the electorate's preferences. Georgescu’s score admittedly was manipulated by social media campaigns – but there was no irregularity reported in the voting process.
1.10 Politics – Serbia
2025 will be a quiet year for Serbia in terms of elections, following three consecutive years of polling.
The conservative-nationalist Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) has now been in power for more than 12 years. The SNS claims to have maintained power by delivering on economic fundamentals. Meanwhile, its detractors accuse the party of systemic corruption, election rigging and undermining fundamental democratic rights, including freedom of the press.
The SNS won a decisive victory in the December 2023 snap parliamentary and local elections. However, the election results were shrouded in accusations of fraud and led to weeks of protests in the capital Belgrade. Despite the protests, the SNS retained control of the Belgrade city assembly in a repeat election in June 2024.
Serbia’s president and leader of the SNS, Aleksandar Vucic, said that the government, which took office in May 2024, will serve a four-year term, which means that the next parliamentary election will coincide with the presidential election in 2027.
More protests are likely in store for 2025, after a year of political unrest.
The divided opposition has been unable to mount an effective challenge against the SNS for the last 12 years. However, it has often mobilised mass protest movements, usually in response to single-issues or one-off tragedies, such as the May 2023 mass school shootings or the
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