EU institutional dynamics in external relations and democracy promotion

Bassant Hassib () and Christian Kaunert ()

Chapter 5 in EU, Egypt and Democracy Promotion, 2025, pp 95-104 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter analyses the institutional dynamics of EU policy-making in external relations and democracy promotion, focusing on coherence and its implications for the EU's credibility as an international normative actor. It explores how coherence – defined as the alignment and synergy between policies, institutions, and decision-making levels – affects the EU's ability to promote democracy effectively. The chapter highlights persistent challenges in achieving institutional, horizontal, and vertical coherence despite establishing the European External Action Service and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. These challenges stem from conflicting national interests among member states, institutional non-coordination, a lack of clear benchmarks for conditionality, and the conflict between EU normative goals and realpolitik priorities, including security and economic interests. It concludes that the EU's institutional and policy incoherence undermines its effectiveness and credibility in external democracy promotion, particularly in complex transitional contexts like Egypt.

Keywords: EU institutional dynamics; Coherence; European External Action Service; Egypt; Democracy promotion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
ISBN: 9781035350520
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