In recent years, EU member states ranging from Austria to Italy, Hungary, and Romania have come under critical scrutiny for failing to uphold the integrity of their respective democratic and constitutional systems.  This panel aims to take stock of the European Union’s capacity to address domestic challenges to the “founding values” of democracy, human rights, the rule of law, pluralism, and freedom. Does the EU have the political authority to address anti-democratic or illiberal practices within its member states given the doubts about its own democratic legitimacy? What legal and institutional avenues could the EU pursue in more firmly anchoring its member states to the principles enumerated in Art 2 of the treaty? Is it politically feasible for the EU to take such a role? If not, does this detract from the EU’s political or constitutional efficacy? This panel aims to bring together leading scholars of law and political science to discuss these timely questions and to evaluate some of the proposals recently advanced by academics and EU institutions.