Startin, Nicholas JamesCostagli, SimonaEsposito, Federico2024-12-312024-12-312024Esposito, Federico. "The European Union as Democratizing Actor Through Conditionality: A Comparative Perspective on Hungary and Romania’s Accessions". BA Thesis, John Cabot University, Rome, Italy. 2024.https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14490/850Thesis (B.A. in International Affairs, Minor in Legal Studies)--John Cabot University, Fall 2024.From travel freedom to economic integration, the European Union has shaped the European way of life reinforcing democratic values. This dissertation will analyse the democratizing role of the European Union through political conditionality. In adhering to democratic principles, the rule of law, human rights, and good governance, conditionality acts as leverage through which the European Union acts as a democratising actor. In analysing the correlation between democracy and EU conditionality, this thesis will tackle the following research question: how does EU conditionality address the democratisation process in Europe? The thesis is developed on the idea that the EU exerted conditionality throughout the pre-accession and the negotiation process through which the countries examined. In this case, the Eastern European countries (EEC), in particular Romania and Hungary, strengthened the quality of their democratic institutions to qualify for EU membership, resulting in enhanced democracies between 1990s and 2000s. By analyzing this process, the thesis aims to contribute to the broader academic literature on the role of EU conditionality in fostering democratization, offering insights into the relationship between external incentives and domestic political reforms in transitioning democracies.x, 96 pagesenAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/European Union countriesEuropean federationPolitics and governmentThesis