Western Balkans
For three decades, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom has been active in the countries of the Western Balkans, supporting them on their path towards a united Europe. Out of our project office in Belgrade, we coordinate our political and civil society education and advisory work, particularly in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. Together with domestic partners from politics and civil society, we focus on the topics of human and civil rights, open society, democracy and the rule of law, as well as on promoting European values and standards as part of the EU integration process.
News
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David Beats Goliath!
The student list has made the seemingly impossible possible in Serbia: former President Aleksandar Vučić has been voted out of power. It was an impressive testament to democratic participation, in a clarity that hardly anyone had expected.
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A clear victory for the Students’ List
The protest movement has secured an absolute majority; the ruling SNS party has maintained its 2023 vote tally but has lost share of the vote due to the higher turnout.
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General Elections 2026: New Technology, Familiar Outcomes
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s 2026 elections produced a striking contrast: a considerably more credible voting process, but a political outcome still dominated by established nationalist parties.
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Serbia on the eve of a generational decision
In early September, President Aleksandar Vučić called parliamentary elections for 25 October. Eight months before the end of his second and final term as president, he resigned in a bid to retain power and continue to hold the reins as prime minister.
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Mostograditelji – Bridge Builders
“Mostograditelji – Bridge Builders” is a human interest series about public figures with roots in the Western Balkans. The series describes their experiences of living in European, multicultural societies and explains how this has had a positive impact on their own identity.
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Snap Elections in Serbia: Vučić’s Flight Forward
For two years, students in Serbia have been protesting against the autocratic regime of Aleksandar Vučić. He now intends to shift his political future from the presidency to the office of prime minister.
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Belgrade Pride with big support from German liberals
The 25th Belgrade Pride came to a close on Saturday with the Pride March. Several thousand people – members of the LGBTIQ community as well as engaged citizens – marched in support of an open society and civil rights.
