FEATURED PANEL The Future of Europe 30 Years After the Fall of the Berlin Wall: EPS Debate on the Role of East European Countries in the EU – then, now, and in the future

Abstract

This edition of the annual EPS debate is on the theme 'The Future of Europe: 30 years After the Fall of the Berlin Wall'. Given recent developments in Europe - both East and West, the European Parliament election this spring, as well as the 30 years anniversary since the fall of the communist regime, it is imperative that we look at the effect that East European member-states have had and continue to have on the European Union. Furthermore, with the political developments taking place in a number of East European countries, and their resonance with electoral success of a number of right wing political parties in Western Europe, questions about the connection between the 'state' of illiberalism, the refugee crisis, and other pressing political issues, like Brexit, with the future of Europe, arise. Four renown scholars whose research touches upon various related topics and is involved with the region of Eastern Europe, will discuss the role of East European countries in the EU. Topics to be discussed are voting behavior, EU enlargement, and the impact of European integration on national politics both in terms of public attitudes and party politics, including the emergence and development of Eurosceptic discourses.