Democracy promotion as external governance?

Abstract: In supporting democratic norms in third countries the European Union (EU) uses network more than hierarchical modes of governance. The exception is where the adoption of internal modes is set as a condition for countries to join the Union. In other cases, limited bargaining power and complex domestic political structures in third countries militate against the use of hierarchy in democracy support policies. Geostrategic concerns over stability represent part of the causal dynamics of these two variables. There is some correlation between governance mode and effectiveness, but this is less strong than the role played by domestic politics in determining impact. The latter help to explain a breach between rule selection and application: EU governance rules are often transferred without significant impact on third country political dynamics.