The challenge is to come up with a way for a greater Yugoslavia to exist before the end of the 19th century/within the first decade of the 20th century. This Yugoslavia must include Bulgaria as well as most of OTL Yugoslavia, bonus points if Albania is added in.
My idea is that Austria-Hungary collapses sometime in the 1880s, meaning Austrian influence in the Balkans also collapses, allowing the Russians to take a hold. This might allow the Karadordević family to take over in Serbia and when Bulgaria needs a new prince in 1887, the Russians might support a union between Serbia and Bulgaria. This is as far as I've got (a bit stuck on Croatia and maybe Albania joining), but I am by no means an expert in Balkan history so if there's no chance of my idea working then I'd love to hear other suggestions.
I'd argue that a Yugoslavia which includes Bulgaria would be more stable than OTL due to the fact that Serbs hold a lesser share of power within the country, which scared the Croatians. If power can be shared relatively equally among Serbs, Bulgarians, and Croatians, and a pan-Yugoslav identity can be created, then I think it might last.
My idea is that Austria-Hungary collapses sometime in the 1880s, meaning Austrian influence in the Balkans also collapses, allowing the Russians to take a hold. This might allow the Karadordević family to take over in Serbia and when Bulgaria needs a new prince in 1887, the Russians might support a union between Serbia and Bulgaria. This is as far as I've got (a bit stuck on Croatia and maybe Albania joining), but I am by no means an expert in Balkan history so if there's no chance of my idea working then I'd love to hear other suggestions.
I'd argue that a Yugoslavia which includes Bulgaria would be more stable than OTL due to the fact that Serbs hold a lesser share of power within the country, which scared the Croatians. If power can be shared relatively equally among Serbs, Bulgarians, and Croatians, and a pan-Yugoslav identity can be created, then I think it might last.