Author 

Eray Mutlu​

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Policy Relevance Statement

This Region Report describes the fluctuating relationship between Vojvodina's regional autonomy and Belgrade's centralisation efforts, and explains how the restoration of autonomy could positively impact the region.

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Abstract

This paper examines regionalism in Serbia through the case of Vojvodina, arguing that the province functions within a system of centrally constrained decentralisation despite formal guarantees since 2006. Vojvodina’s autonomy peaked under Yugoslavia’s 1974 Constitution, which granted near-republic status, but was dismantled during the Milošević era. Post-2000 reforms reinstated limited self-governance, defining competencies in areas such as education, agriculture, and minority rights. Yet contemporary autonomy remains largely symbolic, reflecting Serbia’s unresolved tension between decentralisation pressures and centralist resistance. The paper concludes that without stronger fiscal and legislative autonomy, regionalism will remain superficial.

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Keywords

Vojvodina; Serbia; Autonomy; Yugoslavia; Centralisation