EU enlargement and consolidating democracy in post-communist states - Formality and reality

European integration's impact on democratization in post-authoritarian societies has usually been considered in the academic literature to be of significance in the long term, in helping to firm up regime consolidation. It is important, however, to consider impacts which come earlier through the accession process. This is shown by focusing on the implementation of the EU's political conditions by new democracies in post-communist Europe. The two case studies of Slovakia and Romania show the different salience in accession countries of problems related to the political conditions, but common to both is the dynamic created by the advance of negotiations for membership. At the same time, negative effects may be present, coming from the intense pressure to join. Overall, integration effects vary between levels of democratic consolidation, being greater at the institutional than the societal level.