Politics taz
Impact of the Serbia election: The cards are being reshuffled
The fact that Serbian youth overthrew Vučić surprised many in neighboring countries. Now there is hope for an easing of relations. more...
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It was a bang, also for the people in Serbia's neighboring countries: Some people had hoped that the Serbian youth could organize themselves and overthrow the autocrat Alexandar Vučić, who seemed to be firmly in the saddle, but they had not expected it. Now it's happened. And the cards are reshuffled.
Milorad Dodik, the strong man of the Serbian nationalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina, one of the most controversial and influential politicians in the Balkans, is thus losing his skin. First he lost his important ally in Budapest, Viktor Orbán, and now he lost his trump ace in Belgrade. Alexandar Vučić stood behind his ambitions to smash Bosnia and Herzegovina to pieces and build the “Serbian world”, i.e. Greater Serbia. Without Vučić, Dodik will lose power and influence.
It is not yet entirely clear whether the new rulers in Belgrade are nationalist or not. However, anyone who strives for the rule of law at home will also be measured against it in terms of foreign policy and will strive for a new course. These are signs of hope for Bosnia. The new leadership will have to drop Milorad Dodik sooner or later.
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However, it remains to be seen whether the change of power in Serbia will lead to a peace process in Kosovo. The successful students were also exposed to propaganda for decades that the breakaway region actually belongs to Serbia. The country will be a tough task for the new leadership, especially since they have an opponent in Prime Minister Albin Kurti who is diplomatically flexible but tough and principled at his core.
It is unclear how the new leadership in Belgrade will define its relationship with US President Donald Trump, whose friends in the region have all been overthrown. However, the students do not want to shake the relationship with Russia and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. And the EU? Despite all the warnings, she had worked on a deal with Vučić about rare earths, even though it was precisely these agreements that were the reason for the protest movement in Serbia. Not a good sign.