Too little, too late? Georgia’s lessons for Serbia and EU leverage
marianna.liana…
Thu, 10/08/2026 – 15:14
10 minutes
The EU is seeking to anchor its neighbourhood more firmly within Europe. Yet Georgia and Serbia are drifting in the opposite direction. Democratic decline and growing uncertainty over their European orientation are testing the limits of EU leverage.
NB: This timeline is non-exhaustive and highlights selected developments relevant to the democratic trajectories of Georgia and Serbia.Data: EUISS research based on EU, OSCE/ODIHR and other open sources
The two cases, however, unfold in markedly different contexts. Three aspects stand out: geopolitics, structural constraints – including geography – and societal mobilisation. First, while both governments have deliberately diverged from democratic norms and values, Georgia has moved considerably further towards state capture. Second, Serbia’s deep economic integration with the EU constrains its room for manoeuvre, while Russia’s de …read more