The prospects for democratization in the European Union post-Soviet neighbours: An overview

After 1991, almost all European post-Soviet republics evolved into authoritarian or, at best, hybrid regimes. The absence of an EU accession prospective that supported democratization in Central-Eastern Europe is only one aspect to consider for explaining the failure of democratization in the European post-Soviet neighbourhood. I argue that other elements also matter. This article examines failed democratization process through a comparative study of the political transformations in Russia, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine. It formulates some hypotheses on democratization prospects in the area. I show that the process of transformation can be defined as pre-democratic. Finally, I highlight that the processes that should provide these countries with a solid democratic foundation suffer from the lack of powerful agents of change. © 2011 Macmillan Publishers Ltd.