The year 2024, marked by more than 65 elections worldwide, has been one of the greatest tests for global democracy. Beyond the sheer scale of voting, this historic year highlighted the growing challenge of anti-democratic disinformation and malign foreign influence aiming to distort electoral processes. The Western Balkans have not been an exception. While the region has made significant progress in eliminating severe electoral irregularities since the breakup of Yugoslavia, information manipulation and disinformation have evolved into the most powerful tools used to influence public opinion—both by domestic actors and increasingly by foreign ones.
This analysis examines how disinformation undermines electoral integrity across the Western Balkans, drawing on findings from leading regional watchdogs and anti-disinformation organizations. It identifies key vulnerabilities, cross-border narratives, and malign influence operations that seek to erode trust, discredit reform-oriented actors, and discourage citizens from civic participation. Although each Western Balkan country faces unique dynamics, the region is exposed to common “supernarratives” — primarily anti-Western and anti-democratic — which are strategically deployed to weaken democratic systems and push societies toward autocratic models.
Despite all six Western Balkan governments declaring EU integration as a strategic goal, none have established effective mechanisms to protect elections from foreign information manipulation or hybrid threats. Weak regulation, media capture, low media literacy, and the proliferation of partisan bot networks create fertile ground for manipulation of the digital information space.
In addition to mapping these vulnerabilities, the analysis offers recommendations based on best practices and country-specific contexts. The overarching conclusion is clear: elections in the Western Balkans remain highly exposed to disinformation. Without comprehensive reforms and a coordinated, society-wide response, the region risks further polarization, declining citizen trust, and setbacks in its Euro-Atlantic trajectory.
Full report: from-bot-farms-to-ballot-boxes_-the-digital-assault-on-balkan-elections-and-democracy-1-1
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