Chapter 1. Introduction 1.1. Purpose of the book 1.2. Contribution 1.3. Case selection and method Chapter 2.

Informal power, democratic backsliding, and the constraining role of the EU 2.1. Informal power in CEE - theoretical expectations 2.2. The sanctioning role of the EU Chapter 3. Authoritarian remodelling in Hungary and Poland 3.1. Preconditions for authoritarian remodeling 3.

2. Traits of populism 3.3. How democracy died in Hungary and got distorted in Poland 3.3.1. Hollowed out the democratic institution by capturing the "referees" 3.3.

2. Sidelined key players to undermine the opposition 3.3.3. Rewrote the electoral rules and democratic process to create an uneven political playing field 3.4. Democratic backsliding during the COVID-19 pandemic Chapter 4. Informal power in action 4.

1. Clientelist corruption in Hungary and Poland The coercive monopolization of the state and economy Monopolies, concessions Private property is not protected, coercion is key NGOs, state funds as key instruments Opening towards Russia and China - a strategy to extend clientelist corruption Informality around the PiS headquarter Re-centralization, and the role of Polish state-owned companies Nepotism and misused state funds Low-intensity coercion and the role of the special funds 4.2. Media Capture Unprecedented centralization of media ownership Weaponized state funds in the Orban regime "Repolonization" of the media Weaponization of state funds in the Kaczynski regime 4.3. Electoral clientelism and beyond Economic and policy coercion PiS's clientelistic tactics to win elections Chapter 5. Two faces of informal power: systemic differences Poland on a different democratic trajectory Chapter 6. The constraining role of the EU: a decade of appeasement.

6.1. The toolbox Rule of law framework "Preventative" Annual Rule of Law Reports and other monitoring tools The European Semester Article 7(1) procedure Infringement procedures Freezing EU funds - The Rule of Law conditionality Mechanism and the Enabling conditions The Media Freedom Act 6.2. Why did the EU react differently to democratic and rule of law backsliding in Poland and Hungary? 6.3. Is withholding money an effective strategy? 6.4.

Towards the politicization of EU strategies 7. Conclusion and recommendations for the European Union 7.1. Three lessons and a warning 7.2. Limitations of the book 7.3. Pathways towards a more efficient Europe.