15.12.2020
Abstract
Can the EU afford to keep the fragile peace with the hybrid regimes within its sphere or is it time to fight back?
In the last decade, hybrid regimes established themselves within the European Union (EU) and its sphere of influence, ultimately undermining its soft power. Hybrid regimes do not conform to the traditional molds of democracy or autocracy, and this intentional ambiguity is most visible when analyzing the level playing field around the elections. The countries chosen for the analysis are Poland and Serbia, the former being a member state and the latter a candidate. Actors chosen for study are their respective ruling parties, Prawo i Sprawiedliwość or PiS and Srpska Napredna Stranka or SNS. The article will provide a short overview of democratic backsliding and the events around elections during the first wave of the Coronavirus pandemic. In a crisis, such as a pandemic, authorities have the opportunity to expand their powers. This opening is a double-edged sword as the EU could reassert its soft power, or its home-grown hybrid regimes could reshape the Union.
About the author
Ana Jovanovic is a student at a joint post-graduate degree program coordinated by the University of Bologna. Currently, she is based at the University of Zagreb where she is researching for her thesis on democratic backsliding in the broader CEE region. In addition to this, Ana is a contributor to Eurocreative as an analyst for the Balkan region. Prior to this, she participated in various peace-building initiatives in the Balkan region while completing her BA at the University of Sarajevo.
#EUdemocracy #COVID19 #Autocratization #RoL #Poland #Serbia
European Elections 2024
