Seeking Reliability Amidst Uncertainty: The Emergence of a New Political Generation in Serbia

The collapse of the canopy on the newly renovated Novi Sad railway station, which killed 16 people, sparked student protests and blockades lasting over six months. While mass youth protests in Serbia took place in 1968 and again during the 1990s, this generation has articulated different demands and embraced new forms of organisation. This presentation aims to explore the emergence of a new political generation (Mannheim, 1952) in Serbia and addresses two key questions: What structures them as a political generation? And why is their response to the social crisis shaped in this particular way? The study draws on qualitative analysis of 14 semi-structured in-depth interviews with students active in the protests between February and May 2025. Findings suggest that the unique socio-historical context has shaped this generation’s distinct worldview. As the first to grow up under consolidated capitalism on the European periphery, their outlook reflects global risks: labour flexibility, precarity, and uncertainty in adulthood, alongside local instability and weak institutions. They also navigate a political environment characterised by widespread institutional mistrust, low youth participation, and reliance on informal systems, including clientelism and corruption. Additionally, disillusionment with the West is growing, as liberal ideology loses appeal, and Western support is perceived as prioritising stability over democratic development. This generation’s political response includes: (a) the absence of ideology, with reliability of the system and its institutions being their primary demand; (b) strong self-reliance and scepticism toward the international community, especially Western states; and (c) a preference for participatory decision-making, favouring direct over representative democracy