(New Perspectives on South-East Europe) 1st ed. 2020 edition
by Florian Bieber (Author)
This book explores the stagnation
of democracy in the Western Balkans over the last decade. The author
maps regional features of rising authoritarianism that mirror larger
global trends and, in doing so, outlines the core mechanisms of
authoritarian rule in the Balkans, with a particular focus on Serbia,
Montenegro and Macedonia. These mechanisms include the creation of
constant crises, the use of external powers to balance outside
influences, as well as state capture. The authoritarian patterns exist
alongside formal democratic institutions, resulting in competitive
authoritarian regimes that use social polarization to retain power. As
the countries of the Western Balkans aspire, at least formally, to join
the European Union, authoritarianism is often informal.
