Democracy, Governance and Economy: How EaP States Have Evolved in the Last Decade?

Abstract

In the last decade, several transformations have occurred at the level of governance systems within the six states included in the Eastern Partnership (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine), in order to respond to multiple challenges, either endogenous, or exogenous. Against this background, the question that arises is whether this reconfiguration of the systems meant positive effects or, on the contrary, on certain directions, an involution can be highlighted. Thus, our methodological approach takes into account a multidimensional perspective related to democracy, governance and socio-economic aspects, which emphasize whether progress has been made in 2020, compared to 2010, in terms of the mentioned components. The research results underline if the measures implemented by these countries were in accordance with the pro-market and pro-democracy principles, based on good governance. In addition, the identification of some vulnerabilities might allow the outlining of policy recommendations, for an increased adaptability of these economies to future crises.