(Mis)matched Encounters in EU Democracy Support: EU Foreign Policy in the Eastern Neighbourhood

Abstract

The EU’s ability to support and advance democratic norms and values has been crucial to its political integration and enlargement processes. Recent developments, including the rollback of democracy in Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, and, more recently, the suspension of EU accession by Georgia, and Moldova’s slim approval for EU membership, raise questions about the EU’s effectiveness in promoting democratic principles and practices. This panel explores the challenges and opportunities of EU democracy support in its eastern neighbourhood by critically engaging with the (mis)matches in EU foreign policy. Scholars have identified various deficits within the EU, including ‘capabilities,’ ‘consensus,’ ‘legitimacy,’ and ‘credibility’ gaps (Toje, 2008; Lucarelli and Fioramonti, 2010; Regelsberger, 1997; Smith, 2011) as well as ‘expectations’ and ‘communication’ deficits (Chaban and Holland, 2008; Tsuruoka, 2008). Recent work highlights additional ‘perception,’ ‘expectation–performance,’ and ‘hope–performance’ gaps (Chaban and Elgström 2020; 2021, 2024). Despite the proliferation of this ‘gap’ perspective, few have critically examined whether gaps are inherently problematic. This internal fragmentation, though often framed as a matter of ‘coherence’ and ‘consistency,’ is associated with conflicting priorities and institutional competition within the EU and presented as hindering impactful policy action (Christiansen, 2001; Nuttall, 2005). These gaps in institutional alignment complicate the EU’s ability to present a unified and effective international stance, particularly in foreign policy. This panel proposes a new approach, focusing on the concept of (mis)match to capture the fluidity of both divergence and convergence in EU policy-making. The (mis)match framework provides a more nuanced analysis of EU policy-making, capturing dynamics between EU institutions and member states, and EU rhetoric versus practice. It also allows us to assess EU foreign policy both internally (e.g., between institutions, sectors, or EU rhetoric versus practice) and externally (e.g., between EU policy and external perceptions, or EU policy and local conditions). Democracy support actions, with their contested nature, offer an ideal case for exploring these (mis)matches. The panel is particularly interested in ideational and performance (mis)matches, where contestation, negotiation and compromise may shape EU foreign policy. The ideational level includes expectations and perceptions of the EU, both externally and internally, while the performance level focuses on actual policy actions, such as democracy assistance, technical aid, and sanctions. By mapping various (mis)matches, the panel seeks to explore how these dynamics influence EU democracy support and broader foreign policy effectiveness.

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