The domestic politics of EU action against backsliding

The European Union (EU) is facing a major challenge: fundamental democratic principles have come under pressure in several member states. Political checks and balances, the rule of law, an independent judiciary and freedom of the press are increasingly being undermined. For a long time, the EU reacted hesitantly to these developments, but it has become more active recently and is also using sanctions to counteract member state democratic backsliding. However, it is unclear how long the EU`s breath will last and how effective its measures will be - open questions which depend not least on political dynamics at member state level. The research project analyses which political parties in different EU member states support or oppose EU actions against democratic backsliding - and which arguments they use to do so. It also analyses the influence of these party-political positions on citizens` attitudes towards EU actions to defend democracy. The study focuses on six countries: Austria, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland and Slovakia. This selection includes stable democracies, backsliding countries as well as countries undergoing a process of democratic renewal. Methodologically, the project is based on two pillars. Firstly, newspaper articles, parliamentary minutes, press releases and other publicly available sources are analysed in order to map the positions that parties take on EU actions. In addition, interviews will be conducted with party representatives in order to better understand the political motivations for supporting or opposing these measures. Secondly, survey experiments in the six countries will be used to investigate how party-political statements affect citizens` attitudes towards the EU and its role in protecting democracy. The project closes a research gap by systematically analysing the interactions between EU actions against democratic backsliding and domestic political dynamics. The insights gained contribute to a deeper understanding of the political framework of EU democracy protection and provide valuable insights for a more effective defence of democratic values in the EU.