Contents:

1. Introduction: the pleasure and the pain of joining the EU

1. Absorption capacity and post-accession management
2. Destabilizing effect of the EU membership for the short run
3. Post-accession crisis in ECE and ‘creative crisis’ in the EU27

2. Post-accession crisis in ECE in a larger historical view

1. Monster waves sweeping away the ECE governments
2. Shaky governments and angry electorates
3. Post-accession crisis due to the dual pressure on the ECE governments
4. The institutional deficit in the Europeanization process
5. From participation paradox to representation paradox
6. Democracy paradox and further democratization in ECE
7. Finally, the transition and accession fatigue as enlargement paradox
8. First conclusion: Completing the membership programme

3. Social Europe between dream and reality in ECE

1. Social Europe and high expectations in ECE
2. The high social price for systemic change
3. Economic exclusion generates political exclusion