Illiberalism in the European Union: Establishment Approaches to a Democratic Crisis

In recent years, there has been a crisis in global democracy. The rise of nationalist, far-right parties and governments have swept Europe into a new tide of illiberalism. In Western Europe, the drift towards the nationalist right has taken shape in the success and notoriety of politicians like Marine Le Pen in France and Geert Wilders in the Netherlands. Even the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union indicates the far-reaching trend of conservative nationalism. In Eastern Europe, a number of the formerly communist Member States have become hotbeds of illiberalism within the European Union, where illiberal parties and policies are deeply integrated into state structures. The illiberal grip on Eastern European Member States creates political friction in the dynamics between the EU and its Members. The European Union has been lauded for its effective spread of liberal democracy and its inclusion of civil protections and liberal principles in its laws. However, the illiberalism sweeping through Europe presents an existential question about the European Union’s authority and ability to maintain liberal democracy within its borders. This paper will explore the European Union’s attempts to influence and penalize its Member States’ illiberal policies. What post-accession leverage mechanisms does the European Union employ with Member States to attempt to correct illiberal behavior? The post-accession leverage mechanisms refer to both the formal and informal pressures, including the punitive infringement procedure and implicit economic pressures. Once the European Union engages in corrective measures with a Member State, what domestic and European factors limit the European Union’s ability to contain illiberalism? The issues of Member States’ quality of democracy within the European Union and the European Union’s ability to maintain liberal democracy are significant for understanding current and future European Union internal relations.Bachelor of Art