After 120 days of marching, the longest mass protest ever staged, which forced the once impregnable Slobodan Milosevic to restore opposition wins in local elections that he had arbitrarily annulled, Serbians were hopeful for a better, and more democratic future. However, despite putting on a united face during the protests, and thus promising the potential formation of a democratic government, the two opposition leaders, Zoren Djinjic and Vuk Draskovitch, fell out when President Milosevic didn't guarantee free elections. The consequences were disastrous; many Serbs who participated in the protests felt betrayed by the opposition, with their disagreement jeopardising the chance of a change of government, and the void left by the parties has facilitated the rise of the ultra-nationalist "Radical Party". Their leader Vojislav Sheshel topped the first round of presidential elections, and the thought of him becoming president worries many: "Sheshel's fascism is the frustrated fascism of a crisis which has no inherent strength. Our army is weak, our economy is destroyed, our people are disoriented. That fascism is not extroverted, it is introverted - intent on self-destruction." Meanwhile, the will to fight for Serbia's democratic future has waned dramatically, with only a loyal few still taking to the streets to protest. ABC Australia reports from Serbia, interviewing key players in the political chaos, as well as the protesters trying to change it.

Produced by ABC Australia