Đorđe Vukadinović from the New Serbian Political Thought warns that President Aleksandar Vučić has failed to bring the overall political and social situation in Serbia under control, yet he has successfully consolidated his voter base – which appears to be his top priority.
Vukadinović explains that since June 2025, Vučić has managed to halt the decline in support and regain backing from his core voters, while the opposition, although weaker than a year ago, still exists but remains fragmented.
The key problem for the opposition is internal division, particularly within the student movement, which often clashes with older opposition actors and diminishes the potential for a unified front against the regime. Vukadinović emphasizes:
- 10–12 percent of voters who want to oppose Vučić could easily abstain from voting, which benefits the SNS.
- Internal conflicts and online disputes between the student movement and traditional opposition weaken the protest potential.
- Pressure for the opposition to “step aside” for students to take the lead is unfair, harmful, and counterproductive.
“If students and the opposition are not on the same front, the outcome will be negative,” Vukadinović concludes, noting that Vučić’s current strategy works precisely because it divides opponents and neutralizes key opposition votes.
The expert reminds that Vučić, despite the perception of power, actually rules over a fragmented and manipulated political landscape, while true control over the broader society remains elusive.
