EXTREMISM

In the past decade, European countries have witnessed a rise in anti-establishment extremism (AEE), which challenges the modern democratic order and offers authoritarian modes of governance as a “solution” to consecutive, overlapping crises.

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.”

The contemporary information environment has redefined the ecosystem of extremist groups, shifting them significantly towards online engagement.

Anti-establishment extremism (AEE) is increasingly attracting the attention of both the public and experts in terrorism and extremism.

Ecological degradation and climate change in recent decades have raised citizens’ concerns and led to the formation of many environmental protection movements. However, alongside legitimate activism, radical and extremist groups have also emerged, employing violent methods to draw attention to their aims.

In the territory of former Yugoslavia, the past is still one of the most contentious topics despite the fact that more than 20 years have passed since the conflict ended. The question of how to deal with past crimes and human rights violations tends to open up a wide range of legal, political and psychological issues.

Islamist extremism in Serbia is declining despite receiving significant attention, however, its non-violent forms have gained some traction in areas like Sanjak. On the other hand, political divisions signal a growing potential for political extremism in the region. In contrast, right-wing extremism is experiencing an upward trend, largely due to the Government's inaction and favourable media reporting.

This paper presents the factors enabling the environment for extremism and the resilience factors to violent extremism in the case of Sanjak.

In the latest BCSP study, we analyzed who are the main actors who create and spread anti-immigrant narratives, what are the main anti-immigrant narratives and messages, as well as the mechanisms and channels used by extreme right-wingers to attract attention and spread their influence to a wider audience.