Commentary
International Relations
Trump’s Second Term a Crossroads for Central Europe – COMMENTARY
6 November 2024
America can influence democratic standards in Central Europe more effectively than any other external power. It is high time the United States speaks up about the rule of law and democracy.
The four years of Trump’s administration have coincided with the major drop in democratic standards in Central Europe, to which the United States has remained indifferent.
Today, Hungary is no longer a functioning democracy and Poland is quickly nearing this point. Romania and Bulgaria, both of which are hosting US bases, have violated the rule of law on numerous occasions whilst Czechia, Slovakia and Slovenia have seen their level of corruption rise. Governments are dominated by shady politicians with extensive business interests.
Many countries in the region, Hungary in particular, have started to drift towards the Russian sphere of influence and getting cosy with Beijing. This is encouraging Chinese investments and stops the EU from condemning human rights violations in China.