Minority Representation in Times of Democratic Backsliding: The Case of Serbia

Marković, Ksenija (2026) Minority Representation in Times of Democratic Backsliding: The Case of Serbia. In: „ELECTIONS – DEMOCRACY – CRISIS (EDC 2026“. Institut za filozofiju i društvenu teoriju, Belgrade, p. 3. ISBN 978-86-6190-035-8

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Abstract

Democratic backsliding has become a defining feature of political developments in Southeast Europe, with Serbia often cited as a paradigmatic case of long-term autocratization (Lührmann & Lindberg, 2020; Freedom House, 2025). In these conditions, national minorities often appear as collateral victims of the erosion of democracy: the "weakening" of national councils and limited parliamentary influence reduces their ability to effectively represent the interests of their communities. This ambivalence shows how backsliding reshapes both majority- minority relations and the incentives of minority elites. While the erosion of electoral integrity and institutional checks has been extensively documented, less attention has been paid to its impact on the political representation of national minorities. This paper addresses that gap by examining how democratic decline reshapes the role of minority parties in Serbia. The research combines quantitative and comparative analysis, reviews the electoral performance of minority parties and lists at the national and local levels from 2000 to 2024, with special emphasis on coalition arrangements and patterns of political activity. Case studies of the Hungarian and Bosniak minorities highlight these dynamics. The work contributes to the understanding of the relationship between democratic backsliding, the party system, and institutional transformations, through an ambivalent position of minority actors- between marginalization and co-optation.

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