This thesis explores the circumstances under which the European Union engages its member states that are experiencing democratic backsliding.

The study conducted in this thesis focuses on the ex-communist EU member states due to their shared political and economic past offering a solid basis for comparison. These countries are explored against the background of democratic backsliding in a three-stage analysis: first, their democratic performance is examined using the Varieties of Democracy Liberal Democracy Index, to establish which countries have experienced democratic backsliding. Secondly of the countries that display a democratic decline, their voting behaviour in the legislative process in the Council of the European Union is analysed and finally the treatment they have received by EU institutions concerning their democratic decline is examined. The results from this three-step analysis are then explored with an analytical framework built on the theory of Rational Choice Institutionalism.

The findings suggest that EU institutions carefully navigate a political arena reliant on cooperation and institutional cohesion that causes them to consider the consequences of their actions carefully and maximise the benefit to themselves, which in some instances results in normative values taking a back seat in favour of strategic diplomatic decisions.

These decisions are often centred around protecting the Union’s financial, political and legal coherence. Further, the study reveals key differences within the actions of different EU institutions when confronted with democratic backsliding in a member state.