The EU’s Promotion of External Democracy

In Search of the Plot

EU Election Observation Mission in Tunisia, courtesy European Parliament/flickr

European Union observer monitors a polling station in Sidi Amor Bouhajla, Tunisia

Within the context of EU’s external democracy promotion policies, this brief illustrates that both the conceptualization of democracy and the means to achieve it remain vague, and explains why this is problematic. It points out the risks that stem from a lack of clear understanding about how human rights, governance, civil society and socio-economic development relate to democratization. It concludes that the EU should reflect on the substance of its external democracy promotion policies and conceptualize the relationship between the different elements of democracy promotion cited above and democratization.

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