PUBLICATION: Policy brief

Anti-systemic Extremism in Serbia

Anti-systemic extremism (ASE) in Serbia has expanded amid prolonged political crises, institutional distrust, and disillusionment with the European integration. Like elsewhere in Europe, ASE thrives in periods of societal instability that expose weaknesses in democratic governance. In Serbia, authoritarian tendencies, media control, and pervasive conspiracy narratives have further fueled skepticism toward institutions and “global elites.”

This study analyses six Serbian ASE actors: We – Voice from the People, MOBA Movement, People’s Patrols, Zentropa, Zbor, and Serbian Action, which differ in size, structure and visibility but share opposition to representative democracy, human rights, and multiculturalism. While some, like We – Voice from the People, engage in electoral politics, others reject democratic norms entirely, advocating clerical, authoritarian, or nationalist alternatives. Common discursive tools include populist “people versus elites” rhetoric, conspiracy theories, and appeals to traditionalism and national identity. Overall, ASE in Serbia represents a spectrum ranging from populist to openly fascist ideologies, unified by anti-globalism, and the erosion of faith in democracy.

Skip to PDF content

DETAILS

DATE: 08.12.2025

DOI Number: <a href="https://doi.org/10.55042/JFBX7554" target="blank">https://doi.org/10.55042/JFBX7554

AUTHORS

SHARE

RELATED

  • Date: 30.06.2026.

    Author: Gorana Pebić | Isidora Stakić | Miloš Jovanović |

    This report analyses recent and so far insufficiently explored forms of extremism in Serbia, with a particular focus on anti-system extremism, the role of the Telegram digital platform and the instrumentalisation of environmental issues.

  • Date: 26.06.2026.

    Author: Gorana Pebić |

    The analysis explores how far-right Telegram channels instrumentalise opposition to the Rio Tinto project and lithium mining in Serbia to amplify their pre-existing nationalist and anti-Western narratives.

  • Date: 27.05.2026.

    Author: Anđela Savić |

    Civil society organisations, journalists, and human rights defenders across the Western Balkans and European Union (EU) are operating in a digital environment defined by raising threats and inadequate protection. This analysis presents findings from a needs assessment survey conducted within the “Defending Digital Freedoms: Strengthening Civil Society Resilience against Digital Repression in Europe” project, gathering 239 responses from 11 countries (six Western Balkan and five EU member states).