Eroze demokracie a její důsledky pro NATO: případová studie Maďarska

This thesis examines the impact of the erosion of democracy in a NATO member state on the Alliance's ability to perform its core security functions. Through a single-case qualitative study of Hungary, it analyses whether and how democratic decline affects NATO's cohesion and effectiveness. The thesis is theoretically grounded in the concept of security community, collective security theory and democratic peace. The research part uses the process tracing method and focuses on three key areas: blocking the ratification of Sweden's accession to NATO, Hungary's participation in alliance military exercises, and the Hungarian government's attitudes towards the war in Ukraine. The findings show that the democratic deficit in Hungary has measurable negative effects, especially on the political-diplomatic level of NATO cooperation, while Hungary remains a reliable partner in the area of military interoperability. The paper thus contributes to the debate on internal threats to NATO cohesion and the importance of shared democratic norms for its long-term stability.