Visnja Vukov
Comparing Central and Eastern Europe with the Western Balkans, Visnja Vukov argues that the EU’s governance of economic integration is a decisive lever of transformation. When the EU prioritises and credibly enforces these requirements, it constrains rent-seeking and weakens state capture. When the EU defers them, however, governments can entrench clientelist political–economic coalitions Read more
László Bruszt
László Bruszt and Julia Langbein argue that EU market rules, when applied to weaker economies, can trigger damaging side effects. Unless anticipated and managed, these risks threaten not just candidate countries but the European Union itself. Lessons from the 2004 enlargement are vital as Ukraine moves closer to membership Read more
Marius Ghincea
What motivates EU enlargement? Marius Ghincea and Laurențiu Pleșca argue that the Union’s approach has evolved through three overlapping logics — transformation, stabilisation, and demarcation. By unpacking how these priorities have shifted over time, they offer a more nuanced understanding of enlargement in a changing geopolitical context Read more
Daphne Halikiopoulou
Daphne Halikiopoulou and Sofia Vasilopoulou highlight the multifaceted nature of the far-right populist appeal to voters with different preferences and incentives. The far right struggles to expand its appeal to those who evaluate the democratic process positively, but its rhetoric intensifies support among some segments of its core electorate Read more
The Loop
Cutting-edge analysis showcasing the work of the political science discipline at its best.
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