Who is leading and lagging on democracy and reforms in the EU’s Eastern Partnership?

Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine has dramatically reshaped the continent’s security landscape and led the EU to intensify its engagement with the Eastern Partnership countries – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. At the same time, the governments of these countries are following increasingly divergent democratic trajectories, further exposing growing disparities in their strategic alignment with the EU, political will for democracy, and reform capacity.

For more than a decade, the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, the civil society platform supporting democratic transformation and European integration in the Eastern Partnership countries, has been tracking the progress of these countries in democracy, good governance, and policy convergence with the EU. This work is captured in its flagship biennial publication, the Eastern Partnership Index, the monitoring tool based on contributions from over 60 regional experts, ensuring locally grounded, independent analysis and recommendations for the EU, national governments, and civil society.

The 2025 edition of the Eastern Partnership Index reveals that despite persistent external and internal challenges, Moldova and Ukraine, the highest-ranking countries in the Index, have made progress in areas such as state accountability, independent media, market economy, energy and transport policies. Moldova’s push for institutional improvement is exemplified by the SPRINT programme, a professional development initiative for young public servants that has shown promising early results in strengthening skills and boosting the public sector’s appeal. In Ukraine, progress across multiple sectors reflects the remarkable resilience of society and a strong commitment to democracy and EU integration. However, significant work remains for both candidate countries to close gaps, particularly in independence of the judiciary, human rights protections, and the fight against corruption, all critical priorities for EU accession negotiations.

Armenia has also improved its overall performance, particularly in transport, energy, market economy, and the implementation of sustainable development goals. However, the situation regarding good governance and the rule of law remains fragile, as indicated by slight regressions in several scores.

While Georgia’s overall score remains unchanged from the previous Index edition, sharp declines in democratic rights, elections and pluralism, state accountability, independent media, freedoms of opinion, expression, assembly and association, judicial independence, and the fight against corruption reflect the harsh realities experienced by civil society. These setbacks underscore a significant departure from democratic norms engineered by the Georgian Dream Party. Notably, the Index highlights a case study on the misuse of electronic voting technologies during Georgia’s 2024 parliamentary elections. Despite these challenges, Georgian citizens and civil society remain steadfastly pro-European and continues to advocate for democratic values with remarkable determination.

Azerbaijan and Belarus are the worst performers across nearly all areas of democracy, good governance, and the rule of law. Both countries persist in imprisoning political opponents and have intensified their persecution of journalists and civil society. To respond to the worsening human rights situation in Azerbaijan and Belarus, the EU should establish a clear legal framework for addressing cases of political imprisonment, and provide comprehensive support to political prisoners and their families.

As the EU moves forward in its cooperation with the Eastern Partnership countries, it is essential to combine principled support with the active engagement of civil society. As highlighted by the Index, sustained civil society participation remains a crucial driver of democratic progress in the region.