Illiberal Trends and Anti-EU Politics in East Central Europe

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xx

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2. Examining Illiberal Trends and Anti-EU Politics in East Central Europe from a Domestic Perspective: State of Research and Outline of the Book

   • Lisa H. Anders, Astrid Lorenz

   Pages 1-25Open Access

3. Societal Roots of the Illiberal Trends and Anti-EU Politics

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 27-27

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   2. Illiberal and Anti-EU Politics in the Name of the People? Euroscepticism in East Central Europe 2004–2019 in Comparative Perspective

      • Lars Vogel

      Pages 29-55Open Access

   3. The Varying Challenge of Islamophobia for the EU: On Anti-Muslim Resentments and Its Dividend for Right-Wing Populists and Eurosceptics—Central and Eastern Europe in a Comparative Perspective

      • Gert Pickel, Cemal Öztürk

      Pages 57-80Open Access

   4. Is There an East–West Divide over European Solidarity? Comparing European Citizens’ Attitudes Towards Cross-Border Solidarity 2016

      • Florian K. Kley, Holger Lengfeld

      Pages 81-108Open Access

4. Rhetoric and Practice of Illiberal and Anti-EU Politics

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 109-109

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   2. Differential Illiberalism: Classifying Illiberal Trends in Central European Party Politics

      • Vratislav Havlík, Vít Hloušek

      Pages 111-136Open Access

   3. Party Rhetoric and Action Compared: Examining Politicisation and Compliance in the Field of Asylum and Migration Policy in the Czech Republic and Hungary

      • Paula Beger

      Pages 137-156Open Access

   4. Pro-Europeans and ‘Euro-Realists’: The Party-Voters Linkage and Parties’ Political Agendas in Poland, 2004–2019

      • Michał Dulak

      Pages 157-178Open Access

   5. Same Same, but Different: Domestic Conditions of Illiberal Backlash Against Universal Rights in the Czech Republic and Slovakia

      • Petra Guasti

      Pages 179-206Open Access

5. EU Reactions to Illiberal and Anti-EU Politics

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 207-207

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   2. Talking Past Each Other: On Common Misperceptions in the Rule of Law Debate

      • Attila Vincze

      Pages 209-233Open Access

   3. Does It Help to Call a Spade a Spade? Examining the Legal Bases and Effects of Rule of Law-Related Infringement Procedures Against Hungary

      • Lisa H. Anders, Sonja Priebus

      Pages 235-262Open Access

   4. Safeguarding Democracy and the Rule of Law by Civil Society Actors? The Case of Poland

      • Claudia-Y. Matthes

      Pages 263-281Open Access

6. Theoretical Reflections and Conclusions

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 283-283

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   2. Contesting the EU, Contesting Democracy and Rule of Law in Europe. Conceptual Suggestions for Future Research

      • Luca Tomini, Seda Gürkan

      Pages 285-300Open Access

   3. Towards a Political Theory of Democratic Backsliding? Generalising the East Central European Experience

      • Ireneusz Paweł Karolewski

      Pages 301-321Open Access

   4. Illiberal Trends and Anti-EU Politics in East Central Europe: Major Findings and Avenues for Future Research

      • Astrid Lorenz, Lisa H. Anders

      Pages 323-347Open Access

7. Back Matter

   Pages 349-353

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This open access book provides an in-depth look into the background of rule of law problems and the open defiance of EU law in East Central European countries. Current illiberal trends and anti-EU politics have the potential to undermine mutual trust between member states and fundamentally change the EU. It is therefore crucial to understand their domestic causes, context conditions, specific processes and consequences. This volume contributes to empirically informed theory-building and includes contributions from researchers from various disciplines and multiple perspectives on illiberal trends and anti-EU politics in the region. The qualitative case studies, comparative works and quantitative analyses provide a comprehensive picture of current societal, political and institutional developments in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. Through studying similarities and differences between East Central European and other EU countries, the chapters also explore whether there are regional patterns of democracy- and EU-related problems.

• Open Access
• European Union politics
• European integration
• illiberal politics
• backsliding
• democracy
• East Central Europe
• rule of law
• EU law violations
• EU enlargement

'This important volume sheds new light on a great puzzle of the European integration project: What explains the successes of illiberal politics and anti-EU rhetoric in societies where public trust in EU institutions remains strong? The studies included focus on the four Visegrád countries that were once considered to be front-runners of Europeanization in East Central Europe and offer a rich spectrum of multidisciplinary perspectives by scholars from across the European continent.’

Zsuzsa Csergő, Professor Political Studies at Queen's University, Canada

‘This timely volume offers an original, comprehensive and nuanced account of current illiberal trends and anti-European and Euroskeptic politics in East Central Europe. It is a most welcome and informative read for anyone interested in rule of law and compliance challenges in the EU, their contextual frames, processes, conditions and consequences.’

- Andreas Maurer, Professor and Jean Monnet Chair for EU Integration Studies at Innsbruck University, Austria

 

• Institute of Political Science, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany

  Astrid Lorenz, Lisa H. Anders