De-Politicization by Europeanization: The Emergence of the Fragmented State in South Eastern Europe

Abstract

This chapter analyzes the EU-driven process of de-politicization (good governance reforms) which has accompanied the Europeanization of South Eastern Europe. It is argued that rather than to improve governance and the functionality of the state, good governance reforms have resulted in the fragmentation of the classical constitutional state (and governance). The Europeanized and fragmented state did not have the strength to rebuild coherence through a national counter-process of unity formation (as in Poland or Hungary). Instead, countries from SEE have tried to overcome fragmentation through a revival of informality (i.e. informal hidden structures based on clientelistic, secret service, organized crime and veteran/military networks). Overall, the imposed good governance agenda of neutralization, depoliticization and liberalization has fragmented and weakened the nation state and reinforced informal governance and the deep state