Subscribe to NEE
Text resize: A A
Change contrast
|
Subscribe to NEE

Once Europe’s project, the Western Balkans is now its mirror

Over the last 15 years, Europe’s lexicon of the Western Balkans has undergone several transformations. Tracing this evolution reveals not only how the West’s expectations of this region have changed, but also how Europe’s understanding of itself has changed.

September 11, 2026 - Alexandra Karppi - Hot TopicsIssue 5 2026Magazine

The Western Balkans is no longer marked by incomplete transitions, but durable anti-democratic regimes. There are a few standout offenders, but even fewer bright spots. Serbia’s deepening repression of civic activists underscores the government’s authoritarian turn since the fatal canopy collapse in Novi Sad brought on nationwide anti-government protests in 2024. Photo: PrelevicMilos/Shutterstock

European conceptions of the Western Balkans have long reflected the hopes and anxieties of the moment. Throughout the 20th century, the region was Europe’s powder keg – a land of ancient ethnic hatreds perpetually on the brink of violent conflict. After the wars of the 1990s, the Western Balkans became a democratic project, where peace and reconciliation, institution-building, and integration with NATO and the European Union were meant to bring these countries out of conflict and into Europe.

Today, however, this project seems to have failed. Democracy is on life support and geopolitical competition is testing the increasingly fragile consensus around EU membership in many of these countries. In this context, the Western Balkans is now portrayed as a key battleground for Europe’s future. Tracing these shifting conceptions of the region therefore provides a useful vantage point for understanding where we have been over the last 15 years and where we may be headed.

This article is for members only

Join the New Eastern Europe community to unlock this article — plus enjoy full access to premium content, our digital archive, newsletter insights, and podcast updates.

BECOME A MEMBER!

Already a member? Sign in to read the full article.

,

Partners

Terms of Use | Cookie policy | Copyryight 2026 Kolegium Europy Wschodniej im. Jana Nowaka-Jeziorańskiego 31-153 Kraków
Agencja digital: hauerpower studio krakow.
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. View more
Cookies settings
Accept
Decline
Privacy & Cookie policy
Privacy & Cookies policy
Cookies list
Cookie name Active
Poniższa Polityka Prywatności – klauzule informacyjne dotyczące przetwarzania danych osobowych w związku z korzystaniem z serwisu internetowego https://neweasterneurope.eu/ lub usług dostępnych za jego pośrednictwem Polityka Prywatności zawiera informacje wymagane przez przepisy Rozporządzenia Parlamentu Europejskiego i Rady 2016/679 w sprawie ochrony osób fizycznych w związku z przetwarzaniem danych osobowych i w sprawie swobodnego przepływu takich danych oraz uchylenia dyrektywy 95/46/WE (RODO). Całość do przeczytania pod tym linkiem
Save settings
Cookies settings