Some East European countries are sliding back to semi-authoritarian practices and the EU has not been able to stop these negative developments. I analyze the following factors that explain the decling ability of the EU to promote democracy and the rule of law in its member states (MSs):
a) lack of sufficiently strong institutional mechanisms to make MSs abide by shared norms and values. During the pre-accesion period, the EU has a much more potent tool to make aspiring states abide by certain conditions - the promise of granting membership. Once a state becomes a member, this leverage is no longer available.
b) declining soft power of the EU in recent year. Due to the financial and economic crisis, many countries no longer see the EU as the promised land of wealth and prosperity they have been aspiring to. This makes it increasingly difficult for the EU to convince states to follow a particular model of economic/political development.
c) hypocricy or the use of double standards - when the EU has insisted on new member states and aspiring countries to adopt norms which old MSs are violating. Aspiring countries have used such double standards as excuses to not abide by certain norms and practices.
