Izborna reforma posle Petog oktobra: Prolazni usponi i stalni padovi u kvalitetu izbornog procesa
ELECTORAL REFORM AFTER OCTOBER 5TH: TEMPORARY GAINS AND PERSISTENT DECLINES IN THE QUALITY OF THE ELECTORAL PROCESS

Summary/Abstract: In the 25 years since the Fifth of October, numerous turbulent events have unfolded that have continuously constrained the development of democratic institutions. During the first decade following the fall of Slobodan Milošević, an electoral democracy was established. The crisis of democracy, combined with the economic crisis in the 2008–2012 period, led to the return to power of parties associated with the ”old regime.” Subsequently, in 2016, a decline in media freedoms and in the quality of the electoral process occurred. This paper examines the impact of incomplete electoral reform, inconsistent public policies, and a weakened balance of power on the quality of elections. The author focuses on problems within the electoral administration and the unequal media representation of electoral contestants. The paper concludes that democratic elections require not only political competition and an active civil society, but also consistent policies and effective institutions. The author demonstrates that the democratization of elections after the Fifth of October has been more a consequence of the balance between government and opposition and of pluralism within governing coalitions than of institutional strengthening. The analysis employs objective criteria for evaluating elections, including an index measuring the performance of the electoral administration and media behavior, as well as a historical institutionalist analysis of the broader context.

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