![]() The results in Poland also offer a welcome dose of encouragement for struggling liberal opposition parties in other parts of Europe, particularly in Eastern Europe, where nationalist groups have seemed unstoppable. The opposition scored strong results, giving itself a new burst of optimism before a pivotal series of looming elections. But the outcome of regional elections in early November showed that, at the very least, the battle against the nationalist, populist PiS has been joined. In addition to Hungary, Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party, or PiS, has also recently been accused of using judicial reforms and state media regulations to infringe on the principles of liberal democracy. Countering Democratic Backsliding in Poland To learn more, read Another Orban Victory Will Entrench Authoritarian Drift, in Hungary and Beyond for FREE with your subscription to World Politics Review. But nothing has fortified the prime minister’s nationalist credentials more than his virulently anti-immigrant tirades and policies in response to the wave of largely Muslim refugees coming to Europe in the wake of the civil war in Syria, whom Orban calls “Muslim invaders.” Orban has built support for his nationalist policies by highlighting identity issues and stoking fear of outsiders. It is there that hopes for the unstoppable expansion of democracy in post-communist countries have been most decisively dashed by the rise of Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his populist party, Fidesz. Ofie How Authoritarianism and Nationalism Are Creeping Back Into CEE Countriesĭespite the successes of the postcommunist transition, the CEE countries are now a central theater in the global battle between liberal democracy and autocracy, and few countries have seen democracy lose ground more steadily than Hungary. To learn more, read Eastern Europe's Post-Communist Transformations for FREE with your subscription to World Politics Review. What are the sources of such divergent paths, and why have some CEE countries succeeded while others embody the failures of Eastern European economics and politics? Despite initial hopes and real political gains, a majority of these countries have either returned to authoritarianism, or have persisted in a semi-reformed and unconsolidated state. Yet, these countries’ political and economic achievements have been in stark contrast to the failures seen in other post-communist countries. Despite initial pessimism about the prospect of establishing liberal democracy, several CEE countries have developed consolidated democratic systems, functioning market economies and efficient democratic states with extensive welfare policies and relatively low inequality. But the post-1989 transformations of Central and Eastern European countries (CEE countries) from communism to democracy are often held up as a model of successful democratization. ![]() Historical experience shows that failure is more common than success, even in periods when liberal democracy has few rivals. Find out how some CEE countries are enjoying the fruits of democracy while others are struggling -when you subscribe to World Politics ReviewĮven under the best of conditions, democracy-building is difficult and uncertain. Click to share on Email (Opens in new window)ĭemocracy is fragile in the post-communist countries of Central Eastern Europe, where the specter of authoritarianism and corruption is rising.Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window).Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window).Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window). ![]()
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