Recent amendments to Serbia’s constitutional and electoral framework incorporated recommendations by the international community to improve the democratic process. However, ongoing reforms to comply with European Union accession negotiations have met obstacles due to challenges in geopolitical orientation and influence from malign domestic and foreign actors. IFES is currently implementing a series of activities focused on supporting the professional development of election administration and anti-corruption oversight bodies, as well as strengthening capacities of civil society and media to engage on election integrity and transparency challenges. IFES is also promoting youth civic engagement and education through targeted interventions. IFES’ democratic assistance in Serbia began in 1997 with the engagement of a number of key governmental actors and civil society stakeholders to support efforts to reform and strengthen the democratic process.
IFES works in Serbia to improve the integrity and transparency of the electoral process through technical support to election administration and oversight institutions, as well as to civil society and media actors. As a part of this program, IFES supports the Republic Electoral Commission to organize and conduct elections and the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption to improve oversight practices for political and campaign finance. IFES’s support to civil society and media focuses on capacity strengthening to monitor, report, and advocate on election integrity and transparency challenges. IFES has also launched a university-level civic education course that promotes democratic values and applies interactive learning methodologies for sustainable skills in democratic participation. To spur civic engagement among young Serbians across the country, IFES is also implementing a community mobilization skill-building program, known as Saznaj, Deluj, Reši!, designed to promote local advocacy and political empowerment among young leaders.