This paper does not engage in explanation. Rather, we ask whether the EU’s efforts at the promotion of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law, on the one hand, and the ESDP’s increasing role in peace-keeping and post-conflict state-building operations, on the other hand, are actually consistent with these role identities. For reasons explained below, we stick to the older concept of “civilian power” rather than the newer “normative power.” We argue that, yes, the EU’s democracy promotion, peace-keeping, and state-building policies have developed into a fairly consistent and comprehensive approach of an emerging civilian power
