Political and Societal Security in the Western Balkans

This text gives us an overview of the main security threats in the political and societal sectors in the Western Balkans region. The author focuses on the absence of national reconciliation and the weak cohesion of states, and the possible threats to their sovereignty and thus regional security. Democratic backsliding together with demographic changes and brain drain are considered. The chapter closes with reflections on possible future scenarios for political and societal security in the Western Balkans and concludes that even though minor progress has been seen in the establishment of peace and liberal democracy, these countries are still facing grave structural and institutional flaws.