How the downfall of Serbia's Vučiċ mirrored that of Hungary's Orbán
The recent ousting of leaders in Hungary and Serbia was driven by youth-led movements and the strategic use of technology to monitor elections. Activists from both countries collaborated to share techniques for identifying electoral fraud.
Why it matters
This highlights the growing role of grassroots digital activism and cross-border cooperation in challenging established political regimes in Europe.
Image source, Reuters Image caption, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučiċ shared more than a taste for Balkan pastries
When they met in northern Serbia last November, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučiċ and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán could hardly have guessed they would both be out of power within a year.
Both were ousted by popular movements - Orbán fell first, in April, defeated by Péter Magyar's Tisza party. Then last Sunday a student movement less than two years old won Serbia's parliamentary elections by a landslide.
The Tisza party in Hungary and the Student List in Serbia look very different - Tisza is centred on the personality and energy of its leader, while the students in Serbia insist they have no leadership.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in