In 2021, the EU and members states put in place new policies and processes aimed at supporting democracy. This Annual Review summarizes how and where Europe is directing these funds, and what are the impacts.
In 2021, the EU and members states put in place new policies and processes aimed at supporting democracy. This Annual Review summarizes how and where Europe is directing these funds, and what are the impacts.
The Visegrad Four (V4) states of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia emerged as new actors in international democracy about a decade ago. Poland, in particular, began to punch above its weight in the promotion of democracy abroad. Warsaw became the headquarters of both the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Community of Democracies. Poland was a main proponent of the European Endowment for Democracy and an architect of the EU’s Eastern Partnership initiative, which centers on democratic reform commitments.
While ambitious at first glance, however, the democratization agenda has never been a top priority in the V4 states’ foreign policies. The four countries have also struggled to coordinate their individual democracy support efforts. More recently, illiberal political developments in Hungary and Poland have sapped the V4’s credibility in providing democracy support and defending
Central European Support for Democracy: New Drivers and Challenges carnegieeurope.eu - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from carnegieeurope.eu Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The development of the EU’s Strategic Compass should involve a strategic deepening of EU relations with its partners, write Kinga Brudzinska and Lucia Rybnikárová.
Kinga Brudzinska is GLOBSEC’s Policy Institute’s programme director, Future of Europe; Lucia Rybnikárová is the project coordinator.
In June, the EU embarked on the monumental task of developing a Strategic Compass, intended to bolster the bloc in navigating international challenges and pursuing a common direction on security and defence.
“Strategic Dialogue” with member states will proceed throughout 2021, with the final proposal expected to be ready for adoption by the French EU Council Presidency in 2022.