A survey conducted in May 2015 shows that the Eurovision Song Contest in Serbia triggers neither mass enthusiasm nor open contempt—rather, indifference with a hint of scepticism. Asked about their general attitude toward Eurovision, the largest share of respondents choose the middle ground: 38.26% are neutral, while the combined share of positive attitudes (13.42% very positive + 24.16% positive = 37.58%) is only slightly lower than the neutral group. A negative attitude is a minority but still visible: 8.72% negative + 9.40% very negative = 18.12%, with 6.04% reporting no opinion. In other words, Eurovision is not a “national event,” but a topic that leaves most people cold.
So what do citizens expect from the song that represents Serbia? The most common answer is pragmatic—to promote Serbia as a country (20.73%). Only then come expectations related to authenticity: that it should “reflect the spirit of Serbia” (12.44%), present the current music scene (11.40%), or be selected through a process that guarantees “the best” (11.40%). Notably, the ambition “to win” is relatively modest (10.88%). A large “something else” block (18.65%) and comments such as “nothing” / “I don’t expect anything” further strengthen the impression of fatigue: the audience wants less spectacle, more meaning—or at least less disappointment.
One question, however, produces a clear majority: the language of the song. As many as 64.43% believe it should be sung in Serbian, while 15.44% prefer English and 14.09% would leave the decision to the performer. The message is clear: even without euphoria, there is a desire for the performance to retain an identity marker.
How much do respondents follow Serbia’s Eurovision entry at all? About a quarter have not even heard it (24.16%), while the rest are split: positive/very positive total 35.57%, neutral 17.45%, and negative 14.09% (with 8.72% saying “I heard it, but have no opinion”). So interest exists, but it is not massive.
Placement predictions further reflect caution: the largest share cannot assess it (18.79%), and a significant portion believe the song will not reach the final (17.45%). Optimists exist, but they are not dominant—expectations are scattered, without a shared “success story.”
Methodological note: the survey was conducted on 12 May 2015 on an online sample (N=149). The sample is self-selected and not representative of Serbia’s population; the findings reflect the views of participants at the time they completed the survey.