BIRODI: Deepest Social Divide in Serbia Is between Professional Media and Propaganda

Cameramen(Beta/Armenija Zajmi Besevic)

According to a poll conducted by the Bureau for Social Researches (BIRODI), published on May 26, the ongoing social and political crisis in Serbia is widely perceived as a crisis of democracy, institutions and trust in public communication, while the rule of law, a functional social order and free and fair elections are cited as the top priorities by the respondents.

The sharpest social conflict in Serbia, according to the research, is between professional journalism and propaganda-driven media outlets, suggesting that media integrity has become the main dividing line in Serbian society, with 94.2 percent of the surveyed describing the conflict as either very or moderately intense.

The accountability for the current situation in the society, the respondents predominantly place on Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, the ruling parties, the Serbian Government, and the Serbian Assembly, while they see citizens, students, universities, and civil society organizations as the key figures capable of providing a solution.

Asked about the best way to overcome the crisis, 38 percent cited calling free and fair elections in line with international standards, while 17 percent prioritized the strengthening of democracy and the rule of law.

Also, 22.3 percent of the polled support regime change through mechanisms outside the standard ballot process, highlighting a profound crisis of trust in the existing institutional mechanisms, particularly the electoral process. 

The dominant emotion exhibited by the respondents is anger (36.9 percent), of whom 16.1 percent expressed their motivation to take action. This, according to researchers, reveals an “active negative” emotional profile of the public - a combination of deep dissatisfaction and readiness for social engagement.