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By Argumentum.al | Commentary by Prof. Dr. Gurakuç Kuçi
The electoral defeat of Aleksandar Vučić after more than a decade of political dominance could mark a turning point for Serbia, raising questions about the country’s democratic future and its approach toward Kosovo and the wider Western Balkans.
In a commentary on the implications of the political shift, Prof. Dr. Gurakuç Kuçi argues that Vučić’s defeat creates an opportunity to move away from a confrontational political model built on nationalism, tensions with Kosovo, and threatening rhetoric.
However, he cautions against assuming that a change in political leadership will automatically lead to a change in Serbia’s foreign policy.
According to Kuçi, the student-led movement’s position on Kosovo, while not fundamentally different from Serbia’s traditional stance on independence, must be understood within the electoral context. By avoiding sensitive foreign policy questions, the movement may have sought to unite citizens around shared demands for an end to corruption, authoritarianism, and state capture.
Kuçi therefore warns against equating the student movement with Vučić’s regime or presuming that its rise will necessarily produce a different approach toward Kosovo.
For the Western Balkans, the implications extend beyond Serbia’s domestic political transformation. The decisive question is whether political change in Belgrade will also translate into a more constructive relationship with neighboring countries.
For Kosovo, Kuçi argues, the shift must be evaluated through concrete actions rather than electoral statements. Serbia’s conduct toward Kosovo and its regional neighbors will be a key indicator of whether the country is genuinely moving away from policies that fuel tensions and instability.
“Vučić’s downfall may mark the beginning of the end of a destabilizing political model, but only the policies that follow will demonstrate whether that model has truly come to an end,” Kuçi concludes.
Ultimately, the future of Serbia–Kosovo relations and stability across the Western Balkans will depend on whether political change in Belgrade leads to a shift in Serbia’s approach toward its neighbors and the region’s unresolved issues.
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