Governance on Trial: Corruption and Public Distrust in Serbia

This poll conducted in Serbia on the 17th of September 2025, the first in a new series from Geostrategy examining attitudes inside Serbia reveals a clear and consistent pattern: dissatisfaction with the government, deep concerns over corruption, scepticism toward political elites, and a desire for balance in foreign policy. The results show an electorate disillusioned but pragmatic, more focused on competence at home than ideology abroad.

The Country’s Biggest Problems

When Serbians are asked to name the top three problems facing their country, one issue towers above all others: corruption in government and institutions. 42% select corruption, putting it well ahead of every other concern. This reflects years of scandals and frustration with the justice system.

The economy comes second, cited by 31%, with concerns about inflation, unemployment, and cost of living. Political divisions and distrust of institutions follow at 14%, underscoring that the corruption theme feeds directly into a broader critique of how the system functions. All other issues — healthcare (4%), regional tensions (3%), environmental problems (3%), media freedom (2%), EU delays (1%) — fall someway behind.

Serbians see corruption as the country’s defining problem, and they link it directly to political dysfunction and economic underperformance.

Government Performance and Leadership Approval

Our poll paints a bleak picture for the government and the political class as a whole.

• Effectiveness: Two-thirds of respondents (68%) say the government is not effectively addressing national issues. Only 8% believe it is doing a good job.
• President Vučić: A majority (52%) strongly disapprove of his performance, with another 11% somewhat disapproving. Just 17% approve.
• Prime Minister Vučević: His ratings are even lower. 56% strongly disapprove, 10% somewhat disapprove, and only 12% approve.
• Opposition leaders: They fare little not much better. 31% strongly disapprove, 19% somewhat disapprove, while only 11% approve.

These results highlight a profound distrust of elites across the political spectrum. The governing party is blamed for inaction and corruption, but the opposition is not inspiring confidence either.

Attitudes Toward the Economy

Although corruption dominates the public agenda, the economy remains the core concern for most voters. More than half of voters describe Serbia’s economy as weak or struggling, with pessimism strongest among working-age groups. Many report that their household situation has worsened over the past year and when asked about the biggest challenge, inflation and unemployment lead the way.

Kosovo

Kosovo remains one of the defining issues in Serbia’s politics, but the polling data suggest it functions more as a strategic backdrop than an everyday driver. 41% say it is “very important” and 31% say it is “quite important in resolving tensions.” That means nearly three-quarters of Serbians want Kosovo addressed as a priority. 44% are quite or very concerned, 30% moderately concerned, while a quarter are only slightly or not at all concerned. The takeaway is that Kosovo matters, but voters also expect leaders solve regional disputes without neglecting corruption and economic management at home.

Serbia and the European Union

EU membership remains a polarizing issue, with opinion split.

28% say EU Membership is moderately important, 40% consider it quite or very important, while 32% see it as slightly or not at all important. The EU is perceived to be both ally and threat. It provides an opportunity for an improvement in standards and investment, but also a pressure point against sovereignty.

Foreign Policy Alignment

Asked where Serbia should orient itself, the public opts overwhelmingly for balance: 41% prefer to maintain a balanced approach between East and West. 32% want to move closer to the EU. 14% want closer ties to Russia and 9% favour closer ties with China.

Allies and Threats

The poll data shows that voters see The EU (31%) and Russia (30%) as Serbia’s main ally closely followed by China at 22%. Only 3% see the United States as Serbia’s main ally. NATO tops the list of threats with 37%, followed by the EU at 20%, Russia at 17%, Kosovo at 15%, and “other” at 12%.

Views of International Leaders

The poll asked respondents to rate leading world figures. The results underline Serbia’s ambivalent place in global politics.

• Vladimir Putin: 39% approve, 32% disapprove, 30% neutral — a net positive, but not overwhelmingly so.
• Xi Jinping: 38% approve, 22% disapprove, 41% neutral — broadly soft views, not deeply entrenched.
• Volodymyr Zelensky: Just 5% approve, while 61% disapprove.
• Ursula von der Leyen: 8% approve, 55% disapprove, 37% neutral.

Serbian opinion toward Western figures is predominantly negative, ambivalent toward China, and relatively warm toward Putin. Yet even Putin does not enjoy majority approval.

What It All Means

This first poll of Serbian opinion in September provides five clear takeaways:

Corruption is the biggest issue. It defines the public’s agenda and frames how their view their political leaders. The political class is overwhelmingly distrusted. Vučić and his government are deeply unpopular, but the opposition has not broken through either. Foreign policy is about balance, not blocs. They see both the EU and Russia as necessary partners, but also as threats. Kosovo is important, but not all-consuming. Voters want progress, but they will not excuse domestic failings from politicians by pointing to regional tensions. Governance at home is still the priority. The international outlook is pragmatic, not ideological. Putin and Xi enjoy relative support. Western leaders less so, but none command overwhelming support.

Download the data tables for this poll.