Mellan norm och verklighet: EU:s agerande gentemot Ungern 2018-2024 : En kvalitativ fallstudie om den normativa maktens verkan

This thesis investigates the European Union’s role as a normative power in its response to Hungary’s democratic backsliding between 2018 and 2024, focusing on normative power theory by Ian Manners. Through a qualitative case study design, the research examines how key EU institutions, specifically the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the Court of Justice of the European Union, have responded to the erosion of democratic norms in Hungary. This thesis finds that EU institutions have acted in line with the Union’s normative identity by invoking Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union, initiating Article 7 procedures, pursuing legal actions, and linking financial support to rule of law conditions. However, structural and political constraints have severely limited the effectiveness of these measures. The Hungarian government has resisted external pressure, and the EU’s available enforcement mechanisms have proven insufficient to produce sustainable democratic reforms. This thesis highlights the tension between the EU’s normative aspirations and its practical ability to uphold shared values within its own borders. It contributes to the deeper understanding of how normative power functions in an internal context, especially when confronted with democratic erosion among member states.