Can elections bring (real) change? Lessons learned and prospects for the Western Balkans

In South East Europe, elections are often dismissed as mere window-dressing to democracy, churning the same elites over and over. However, recent votes have challenged that notion. Is a change on the horizon? Who are the actors participating in it? And how is the public responding to old and new challenges? The panel discussion will address these and other lessons learned and prospects for the region. The event will also provide insights from a new policy study on public attitudes towards elections in the six countries of the Western Balkans, published by the Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group and drawing from a large-scale survey promoted by the European Fund for the Balkans.