Opposition strategies in hybrid regimes: a comparative perspective of Hungary and Serbia

The erosion of democratic governance has profoundly affected Central and Eastern Europe, with several countries undergoing a sustained wave of autocratization. This paper examines the constraints imposed by the regimes in Hungary and Serbia and the opposition strategies employed within these contexts, focusing on protests, boycotts, electoral tactics, and coalition-building, as well as their variation across electoral cycles since 2014. Building on a structured comparative framework, the study uses a theory-informed analytical matrix to evaluate the extent to which opposition actors confront regime-imposed obstacles and whether they generate comparable strategic responses. The findings indicate that an inconsistent strategic approach has been a defining feature of opposition behaviour over the past decade, likely contributing to weak performance. These patterns are observable in both countries and appear largely independent of institutional design, international positioning, or ideological specificities, suggesting that hybrid regimes tend to constrain opposition actors in ways that produce similar outcomes.