Beyond ideological polarization: how Serbian students are uniting fragmented opposition voters

This paper examines how the student movement that emerged in Serbia in late 2024 overcame ideological polarization among opposition voters and generated broad political support in a competitive authoritarian context. Since 2012, Serbia's opposition has been weakened by fragmentation and ideological divisions, primarily between a pro-European civic bloc and a nationalist anti-European bloc. Drawing on theories of opposition coordination in hybrid regimes, civic mobilization, and counter-polarization, the paper argues that the movement's unifying capacity stems from its nonpartisan positioning, participatory organization, and normative framing around justice, accountability, anti-corruption, and democratic integrity. The analysis combines Chapel Hill Expert Survey data, nationally representative surveys from 2019 to 2025, and an original survey of student activists across six public universities. The findings show that, despite persistent polarization on the East–West dimension, the movement displays ideological heterogeneity and strong democratic congruence. Unlike conventional opposition actors, it attracts similar support from pro-EU and anti-EU opposition voters, reduces affective distance across blocs, and mobilizes some former regime supporters. The paper concludes that, in hybrid regimes marked by deep polarization, civic actors can broaden opposition support by downplaying ideological cleavages and reframing conflict around shared democratic norms.