Democratization and the European Union. Comparing Central and Eastern European Post-Communist Countries

Abstract:
This book examines in depth the impact of the EU on aspects of the quality of democracy in eight selected post-communist countries. Considering both the political and legal aspects of the dynamics among institutions and focussing on inter-institutional accountability, the book analyses how constitutional designs have been effectively implemented to achieve this, and to what extent this was the result of EU action.

In order to make a comparative assessment of the EU on democracies, the book features detailed case studies according to their different status vis-à-vis the EU, including older new member states: Poland and Hungary; newer new member states: Romania and Bulgaria; potential candidates: Albania and Serbia; and neighbour and remote neighbour states: Ukraine and Armenia. Each chapter addresses a range of dimensions and most relevant domains of inter-institutional accountability, that is: executive-legislative relationships; constitutional justice; decentralisation and regionalism; and the role of ombudsman or other relevant authorities.

Contents:

1. Introduction - Leonardo Morlino and Wojciech Sadurski

Part 1: "Old-new" Member States
2. Poland: EU Driven Democracy? - Adam Bodnar
3. Hungary: High Hopes Revisited - Renata Uitz

Part 2: "New-new" Member States
4. Romania: A Personalistic Approach to Accountability - Alina Stanciulescu
5. Bulgaria: Discontents and Frustrations of a Newly-Consolidated Democracy - Daniel Smilov

Part 3: Potential Candidate and Neighbour Countries
6. Serbia in Search of Stability and Accountability - Cristina Dallara and Irena Marceta
7. Albania and its Struggle to Consolidate Democracy - Darinka Piqani
8. Ukraine: A Constitutional Design Between Façade Democracy and Effective Transformation? - Oleksandr Serdiuk and Roman Petrov
9. Armenia: Constitutional Design, Accountability and European Integration - Armen Mazmanyan

10. Conclusions - Leonardo Morlino and Wojciech Sadurski