New research: Citizens on the “Serbia against violence” protests
Almost all Serbian citizens know about the “Serbia against violence” protests. Every second citizen supports the protests, and every third says that he already has or wants to participate in the protest.
Among the citizens who support the protests, the majority are those who are not close to either the ruling or the opposition parties, but every fifth citizen who is closer to the parties in power also supports the protests.
There is strong political mobilization at work, which to a greater extent benefits the opposition.
These are the main findings of the latest CRTA public opinion survey, which was conducted by telephone from June 10 to 15, on a random and representative sample for Serbia (without Kosovo) with 1,065 respondents.
THE “SERBIA AGAINST VIOLENCE” PROTESTS ARE WELL KNOWN
Almost all citizens of Serbia know about the protests; only seven percent of the respondents had not heard about the protests against violence that have taken place in Belgrade and other cities throughout the country. Half of Serbian citizens support the protests (50%), and a third of them say that they have already been to or that they would like to join protest gatherings (35%).
SUPPORT FOR PROTESTS BREAKS POLITICAL BARRIERS
Protests are supported by citizens from all segments of society and parts of the country, so it cannot be said that it is a topic that affects only certain cities or regions. Support for protests does not fall below 50 percent in any of the regions in Serbia, but it is somewhat lower in rural areas, among the oldest and among citizens with lower education.
In support of the non-partisan character of the protests, the fact that two-thirds of citizens who are not close to either the ruling party or the opposition parties support the protests, as well as 20 percent of citizens who point out that they are closer to the ruling party.
SUPPORT FOR PROTEST DEMANDS
A fifth of Serbian citizens support all the demands of the protest, and more than two-thirds support at least part of the demands. Only nine percent of citizens do not support any demands. The demands are largely supported by citizens who are not close to either the government or the opposition, but also those who state that the ruling parties are closer to them.
As a result of the protests, the percentage of politically undecided citizens is decreasing. The share of those who point out that they are closer to the opposition is significantly higher compared to the previous period, which cannot be said for citizens who point out that they are closer to the parties in power. The above indicates that there is a strong political mobilization at work, which to a somewhat greater extent works in the hands of the opposition.
Note: You can access the presentation of the main research findings HERE.
