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 thereare regional patterns of democracy- and EU-related problems.

This book is open access, which means that you have free and unlimited access Unpacks the forms of and reasons for de-Europeanisation in Central Europe Contributes to our understanding of the political opinions on the EU in Central Europe

Autorentext
Astrid Lorenz is Professor of the Political System of Germany and Politics in Europe in the Institute of Political Science at Leipzig University, Germany.

Lisa H. Anders is a researcher in the Institute for Political Science at Leipzig University, Germany.

Inhalt
Chapter 1: 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 and Astrid Lorenz).- Part I: Societal Roots of the Illiberal Trends and Anti-EU Politics.- Chapter 2: Illiberal and Anti-EU Politics in the Name of the People? Euroscepticism in East Central Europe 2004-2019 in Comparative Perspective (Lars Vogel).- Chapter 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 and Cemal Öztürk).- Chapter 4: Is there an EastWest Divide over European Solidarity? Comparing European Citizens' Attitudes toward Cross-Border Solidarity 2016 (Florian K. Kley and Holger Lengfeld).- Part II: Rhetoric and Practice of Illiberal and Anti-EU Politics.- Chapter 5: Differential Illiberalism. Classifying Illiberal Trends in Central European Party Politics (Vratislav Havlík and Vít Hlouek).- Chapter 6: 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).- Chapter 7: Pro-Europeans and 'Euro-Realists'. The Party-Voters Linkage and Parties' Political Agendas in Poland, 2004 to 2019 (Micha Dulak).- Chapter 8: Same Same, but Different. Domestic Conditions of Illiberal Backlash against Universal Rights in the Czech Republic and Slovakia (Petra Guasti).- Part III: EU Reactions to Illiberal and Anti-EU Politics.- Chapter 9: Talking past Each Other: On Common Misperceptions in the Rule of Law Debate (Attila Vincze).- Chapter 10: 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 and Sonja Priebus).- Chapter 11: Safeguarding Democracy and the Rule of Law by Civil Society Actors? The Case of Poland (Claudia-Y. Matthes).- Part IV: Theoretical Reflections and Conclusions.- Chapter 12: Contesting the EU, Contesting Democracy and Rule of Law in Europe. Conceptual Suggestions for Future Research (Luca Tomini and Seda Gürkan).- Chapter 13: Towards a Political Theory of Democratic Backsliding? Generalising the East Central European Experience (Ireneusz Pawe Karolewski).- Chapter 14: Illiberal Trends and Anti-EU Politics in East Central Europe. Major Findings and Avenues for Future Research (Astrid Lorenz and Lisa H. Anders).