Mechanisms of authoritarian diffusion exemplified through recent Serbian-Turkish relations

This paper investigates the confluence of mechanisms from the domestic and foreign policy level that support authoritarian diffusion. The study looks at the contemporary bilateral relations between Serbia and Turkey, two countries whose recent close cooperation seems somewhat surprising in the light of the mutual historical stereotypes and the regional sensitivities. Starting from 2009 to present days, it looks at the developments on `material` and `symbolic` level. On one hand, the paper traces the progression of the economic cooperation, with particular emphasis on Turkish investments in Serbia, and on the other, depicts the narratives created and exploited by the elites on both sides. The empirical evidence highlights the concomitance of personalisation of power by both presidents, Recep Tayyıp Erdoğan and Aleksandar Vučić, with the improvement of mutual relations. The findings further suggest that cooperation among authoritarians is attractive not necessarily for its material value, but for its narrative potential, allowing the incumbents to emanate as proficient leaders, capable of resolving domestic and regional issues. The article argues that incumbents are not inspired by the international context to lean towards authoritarian practices, but rather seek to benefit from the pragmatic opportunities such context enables for further consolidation of domestic power. In effort to capture the `yielding of power, ` the study employs mixed methods, with particular emphasis on process-tracing.