Igor Vidačak is Professor of European Union Politics at the Faculty of Political Science of the University of Zagreb, where he holds the Jean Monnet Chair “Active European Democratic Citizenship for Resilient Society”. He is Director of Studies of the European Transformation and Integration Studies Department at the College of Europe in Tirana.
He obtained his PhD in Political Science from the University of Zagreb and his MA in European Politics and Administration from the College of Europe in Natolin.
His research focuses on EU enlargement and European integration, democratic resilience, civil society and citizen participation, interest representation and lobbying, and the transformation of governance and policymaking in the Western Balkans and other EU accession countries. He has particular expertise in the role of civil society and organised interests in EU policymaking, participatory and deliberative democracy, open government and inclusive policymaking. Alongside his academic work, he has extensive experience as a team leader and senior expert in EU-funded technical assistance projects supporting Western Balkan governments in the design and implementation of EU accession-related reforms.
His recent research explores the democratic and societal dimensions of EU enlargement, patterns of citizen and stakeholder engagement in EU policymaking, and the conditions under which civil society can contribute to democratic resilience and institutional transformation. He is the editor of The Western Balkans and the Challenges of EU Accession: The Resilient Transformation (Routledge, 2026).
Recent publications
Vidačak, I. (ed.) (2026). The Western Balkans and the Challenges of EU Accession: The Resilient Transformation. London: Routledge.
Vidačak, I. (2026). Transforming government–civil society relations for democratic resilience in the Western Balkans. In I. Vidačak (ed.), The Western Balkans and the Challenges of EU Accession: The Resilient Transformation. London: Routledge, pp. 145–162.
Vidačak, I. (2026). Democratic resilience in the EU and the role of citizen engagement mechanisms. In M. Knodt, N. Chaban, O. Costa et al. (eds.), The Routledge Handbook of European Union Politics. London: Routledge, pp. 374–387.
Vidačak, I., & Matan, A. (2026). Rethinking EU institutional communication. In C. Wiesner (ed.), Debating Europe: Towards the Critical Informed Citizen. Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 31–47.
Vidačak, I., Munta, M., & Matan, A. (2025). Too far to reach? Explaining low Croatian participation in the European Citizens’ Initiative. Politics and Governance, 13, 10041.
Vidačak, I. (2023). The role of organised interests in shaping Croatia's negotiating positions in the Council of the EU. East European Politics, 39(2), 345–365.
Vidačak, I., & Šabić, S. Š. (2023). Mapping Best Practices on Transparency, Integrity, Accountability and Anti-corruption: Case Studies from Selected Parliaments: In-depth Analysis Requested by the European Parliament ING2 Special Committee. European Union.
Vidačak, I. (2022). Lobbying in the EU transition countries. In A. Polk & K. Mause (eds.), Handbuch Lobbyismus. Wiesbaden: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden, pp. 38–55.
Vidačak, I. (2022). Challenges of developing open policymaking in the Western Balkans. In B. Ferreira Costa (ed.), Challenges and Barriers to the European Union Expansion to the Balkan Region. Hershey, PA: IGI Global, pp. 297–314.
Vidačak, I. (2021). The effects of EU conditionality on patterns of policy engagement of civil society organizations in candidate countries. Southeast European and Black Sea Studies, 21(4), 571–592.