- October 15, 2026
- 08:30
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- October 15, 2026
- 10:30
Disengaged? Hardly. In Serbia, the largest wave of student-led protests in decades has reshaped domestic politics. Students will contest the upcoming parliamentary elections with a list of their own. At the same time, EU enlargement has regained geopolitical momentum. Yet the region presents an uneven picture. Albania and Montenegro are making unprecedented progress toward accession, while Serbia faces profound political uncertainty. Across the region, institutional weakness, social polarization, and growing geopolitical competition shape domestic politics. They also affect the credibility of the European project.
A new generation has come of age amid these developments. Generation Z did not grow up with the wars of the 1990s. Instead, it grew up with prolonged enlargement, democratic stagnation, and recurring crises. For this generation, Europe is no longer simply an aspiration. It is judged through lived experience.
The discussion draws on original deliberative research with young people in six Western Balkan capitals. It was conducted by the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade, and the Regional Center for Advanced Studies of Humanities (RECAS). The event connects three developments that are rarely analyzed together: the renewed geopolitical urgency of enlargement, democratic developments in the region, and the political emergence of Generation Z. How should the EU interpret the recent waves of youth and student mobilization? And can enlargement remain a credible geopolitical strategy without stronger democratic legitimacy and meaningful youth engagement? We will discuss these topics and questions with Gazela Pudar Draško (Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, University of Belgrade, and RECAS), Valeska Esch (German Institute for International and Security Affairs, SWP), Boris Mijatović (Member of the German Bundestag), and Gresa Hasa (University of Graz). The discussion will be moderated by Rejane Herwig, Program Director Europe, Aspen Institute Germany.
