ANTI-SYSTEMIC EXTREMISM IN SERBIA
ANTI-SYSTEMIC EXTREMISM IN SERBIA

Author(s): Isidora Stakić
Subject(s): Politics, Jewish studies, Sociology, Security and defense, Nationalism Studies
Published by: BCBP Beogradski centar za bezbednosnu politiku
Keywords: anti-systemic extremism; Serbia; democratic backsliding; conspiracy theories; right-wing nationalism; populist movements; rejection of representative democracy
Summary/Abstract: 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.

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