DW: What do young people in Serbia think about the EU?

DW: What do young people in Serbia think about the EU?

How interested are young Serbians in European integration processes and is the EU their main goal?

“I still believe in the European Union,” says Konstantin, a student from Novi Sad. However, he shows growing doubts – not only about the EU’s relationship with Serbia, but also about how the EU functions.

“It seems increasingly clear to me that they do not see us as equals, but rather want to exploit us,” he says.

He is one of seven young people DW spoke to about young people’s views on the EU. The answers show different perspectives, but also common points of dissatisfaction that explain the decline in support for the European integration process in Serbia.

Less than half for EU membership

Research confirms that this decline in support for the integration process is becoming increasingly pronounced. According to data from the Open Society Foundation from October 2024, only 40 percent of young people in Serbia would vote for EU membership. In North Macedonia this percentage is 68 percent, while in Albania it exceeds 85 percent.

As for young people in Serbia, about 40 percent believe that Serbia will never become a member of the EU. Others in Serbia, and not only young people, feel the same way.

A 2025 poll by the magazine “Nova srpska politička misao” (New Serbian Political Thought) shows that less than 40 percent of Serbian citizens support EU membership. This is the first time since the poll was conducted that a majority is not in favor of European integration.

“I expected more from the EU”

Relja, another student from Novi Sad, recognizes the benefits of EU membership, such as access to the labor market and freedom of movement. However, he is concerned and believes that a large number of citizens, especially young people, would immediately leave the country.

“If what happened in croatia “– if five percent of the population were to leave within three years – that would mean about 300.000 people would leave,” she says.

Relja criticizes the EU’s stance on what is happening in Serbia. “I don’t like the fact that they present themselves as promoters of democracy, while remaining silent about the authoritarianism of the regime in Serbia,” Relja asserts.

Anastasija, a former student from Belgrade, has a similar dilemma. Although she positively assesses the potential economic benefits of EU integration, she is concerned about the impact on small businesses and local industry.

Jovan from Novi Sad has no dilemma – he is completely against it. European integrationThe main reasons, he says, are potential demographic losses, but also the status of Kosovo.

“Joining the EU would mean giving up part of our country’s territory, that is, recognizing Kosovo’s independence. This is unacceptable to me,” he says. The student from Zrenjanin named Vuk is concerned about ecological issues and cites the “Jadar” project as the main reason for the change in the attitude of the Serbian population towards the EU.

“The impression is created that the EU is not interested in environmental damage, but only in economic benefits,” he says.

The EU is not the problem, but the implementation of the idea

Dalibor Petrovic, a professor of sociology at the University of Belgrade, emphasizes that young people’s views are not only related to individual EU decisions, but also to a sense of political inequality.

“There is a feeling that the EU imposes conditions without any visible benefits for Serbia. In such a context, young people are increasingly developing reservations about the European project,” explains Petrovic.

Like the students, he cites the Jadar project as a paradigm of an unfair relationship. “Environmental issues are existential here. If the environmental consequences are ignored and no compelling benefits are offered, it is natural for resistance to form,” he says.

Petrovic concludes that young people today do not see the problem in the EU as an idea, but in the practical implementation of the idea. He does not believe that most young people are against the EU. But they find it difficult to defend their pro-European orientation in front of their colleagues from the right, who say: ‘Well, you see that the European Union is not interested in us at all.’ And it seems that they are right,” the professor explains. There is uncertainty even among those who believe in the EU idea. Konstantin claims: “I still believe, but I don’t know for how long.” /DW