François Picard speaks with Helena Ivanov, an Associate Research Fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, a London-based think tank focused on foreign policy and national security. Ivanov characterises the recent election in Serbia as a pivotal moment in the country’s political landscape. After 14 years of Aleksandar Vučić’s rule, the reported success of a student-led movement poses a significant challenge to the established political order.
According to Ivanov, this election highlights the potential of sustained civic engagement to transform public discontent into electoral success. She points out that the Serbian situation could set a key political precedent: a student movement that operates outside traditional party politics, maintains its momentum for two years, and ultimately secures a vital electoral victory. “I believe Serbia is a precedent when it comes to how these elections were won,” she notes, emphasising the movement’s unique organisational strategies.
Framing Serbia within a broader regional discourse on democratic accountability and political reform, Ivanov draws comparisons to Hungary, discussing how new political movements can confront long-serving leaders and increasingly authoritarian regimes. She dismisses Vučić’s claims of foreign interference in the protests, raising the critical issue of how grassroots movements can establish themselves as viable electoral alternatives.
Ivanov also posits that the movement’s triumph may invigorate anti-corruption protests in Albania and beyond, sending a clear message to leaders accused of misusing their power: “In Albania, but also anywhere in the world, they should be afraid.”
In her final remarks, she stresses a fundamental democratic principle: even where power seems solidly entrenched, the ballot box remains a potent tool for accountability and change. “All it takes is one pencil and a piece of paper, and you can choose someone else,” she concludes.
