Democratic Transition in the Mediterranean and Europe’s Role

Resumo

Democratic transition should be understood as encompassing political liberalisation and increased political participation. While there has been  political liberalisation in some countries in the region, there is almost no progress as far as political participation is concerned. Elections are manipulated in many countries and elected Parliaments do not enjoy significant powers vis-à-vis the executive. The EU is only a soft actor of democratisation in the region, pursuing numerous competing policy priorities to which incumbent ‘security-oriented’ regimes respond well. Thus, the EU’s approach on democratisation is generally less assertive than in the EU’s Eastern neighbourhood. The fear of the rise of political Islam appears to be an often un-stated additional reason for the EU’s reluctance. The EU should clarify its position on Islamic parties, defining minimum rules for engagement in a broader framework of cooperation.