Philosopher Filip Grbić Calls President Vučić ‘One of the Most Liberal Leaders in Europe’ Philosophy has entered Serbia’s long‑running battle over Aleksandar Vučić’s image, and it’s taking the President’s side: not only is he no autocrat, one philosopher claims, he’s among Europe’s most liberal leaders.

How the argument began

On May 21, Serbian outlets began amplifying comments by philosopher Filip Grbić, who tore into the opposition’s favorite label for Vučić. Calling it a “complete failure” to portray the president as an autocrat, Grbić insisted Vučić is “one of the most liberal presidents in Europe.”

The pro‑government daily Alo framed the intervention as long‑awaited validation, announcing that “confirmation arrived” of Vučić’s liberal credentials after Grbić spoke publicly about the president’s leadership style and European role.

Grbić’s paradox: too much freedom as a path to tyranny

In a longer account of his remarks, Politika reported Grbić’s core thesis: Serbia’s political reality “does not correspond to the image” pushed for years by Vučić’s critics. Instead of authoritarianism, he argued, Serbia faces its opposite – an “excess of freedom.” According to Grbić, “everyone does what they want,” and the country “not only does not have autocracy” but suffers from “even an excess of freedom which threatens to turn into tyranny.”

Clash with the opposition narrative

Grbić’s comments land amid persistent claims from “part of the opposition public and media” that Serbia lacks political and media freedoms, particularly from outlets close to protest and blockade movements. Politika presents his intervention as a challenge to that storyline, suggesting the autocracy talk may “mask the fact” that opponents, media, activists and public figures can “freely voice even the harshest accusations” against the president and state.

In other words, while Vučić’s critics brand him a strongman, pro‑government media now brandish a philosopher to argue Serbia’s problem isn’t too much control from the top – it’s too little.