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Tito's passing left Yugoslavia vulnerable to economic upheaval. Following the global oil crisis in 1973, the federation's economy faltered, escalating existing tensions among republics. Disparities between economically productive regions like Slovenia and Croatia and less developed areas in the south became apparent, leading to the exacerbation of ethno-nationalist sentiments.
As economic strife burgeoned, the struggle for autonomy and national identity among various ethnic groups surged, especially after Tito's death. Increasing political instability culminated in the 1980s as Serbia grappled with rising tensions, particularly heightened by the autonomy claims of Kosovo's Albanian majority.