The recent focus of the EU on the application of the rule of law in member states, including other political reforms and conditionality in the Western Balkan accession states, shows that the issue of democratic politics has reached a critical juncture in many parts of Europe. But how big is the problem of democratic backsliding and how credible is the fight against illiberalism? Our SEESOX seminar series is looking at the quality of democracy in South East Europe, through thematic and comparative country perspectives. It focuses on South East European member states, accession and candidate countries, and includes panels on ethno-populism and illiberalism, elections and party politics, the dominant power of the executive, freedom of media, promotion of the rule of law, legacies of the recent past, transitional justice and social protests.