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NL Analysis: the Serbian student protests in 2025
This publication and text continues in English - as the FMS conducted this research with an international consortium under Friends of the Western Balkans (FoWB), led by the Foundation of European Progressive Studies (FEPS). Until recently, Generation Z in Serbia was often perceived as apolitical and more immersed in the digital [...]
In conversation with a generation standing up for its future
Source: Getty Images When I arrived in Belgrade on 13 May, I immediately felt that we were at a special moment in the country. Together with a delegation of 11 people, I travelled to Serbia on behalf of Friends of the Western Balkans (FoWB) and Foundation Max van der Stoel (FMS), to see for myself [...]
Through the eyes of a Serbian journalist: Dinko Gruhonjić on media, fear and the student uprising in Serbia
Photo: Dinko Gruhonjić (Wikimedia Commons) In this third and final article on the Serbian student movement, the Max van der Stoel Foundation and the International Green Left Foundation once again join forces. We spoke to Dinko Gruhonjić, a journalist with more than 20 years of experience and programme director of the Independent Journalists' Association of Vojvodina (NDNV). In addition to his [...]
Our Statement on Serbia during 'Friends of the Western Balkans'
Amid growing concerns about the deterioration of democracy in Serbia, the Friends of the Western Balkans (FoWB) gathered in Ljubljana for their seventh meeting. This network of progressive politicians, civil society leaders and social democrats from across Europe had one clear goal: to express their support for the region's European future. This [...]
The social democratic perspective on the growing protest movement in Serbia
Photo: FMT The FMS, in collaboration with International Foundation GroenLinks, has started a series on the Serbian anti-corruption protests. During this series, we highlight different sides of the protests, and this time we cover the social democratic perspective. Last Saturday, 15 March, the largest (student) protests in Serbia to date took place, with more than 300,000 people in attendance. [...]
The student perspective on the growing protest movement in Serbia
Source: Tasnim The FMS, in collaboration with International Foundation GroenLinks, has started a series on the Serbian anti-corruption protests. During this series, we will highlight different sides of the protests, starting with the students' perspective. Marija, a 23-year-old Serbian student, usually studies at her university. But now she, like many [...]
The bustling activities of the FMS
As the FMS we support people in their quest and journey towards and with social democracy. Throughout multiple events we have been able to connect with our partners and participants in a wonderfully wide range. This past weekend, the FMS organised five events focussed on supporting social democratic movements with our partner parties. One of [...]
A moment of silence for the victims of the railway station disaster in Novi Sad, Serbia
On 1 November, the roof of a train station in the Serbian city of Novi Sad collapsed, killing 15 people and seriously injuring two. Remarkably, this train station had been renovated only four months before the collapse. It suggests that this was not only a tragic accident, but also a failure of the responsible authorities. The [...]
Serbia and Hungary scene of growing gender inequality
Photo: Wikimedia Commons Last Friday, 8 March, it was International Women's Day, a day dedicated to gender equality and solidarity between women, but also drawing attention to problems related to women's rights. Gender equality is under pressure in authoritarian regimes, as Freedom House reports show. Preaching hierarchical, patriarchal structures is [...]
Major concerns after Serbian election manipulation - 'Assertive EU is crucial'
Photo: The Serbian flag flies at a government building in the capital Belgrade. Source: Flickr The December 2023 Serbian elections, marked by large-scale fraud and manipulation, are a new chapter in the country's worrying development. Serbs took to the streets en masse in protest against the fraud, the uneven playing field and the overall state [...]