Eastern Europe in political disarray amid fatigue over economic sacrifice
Anti-government rallies rock the Hungarian capital. Political intrigue in Poland holds up new roads and housing. Populists take power in Slovakia, vowing to undo economic reforms. And the Czech Republic goes without a functioning government for months.
Political life has fallen into disarray in eastern Europe and many are asking what has gone wrong when — 2 1/2 years after they joined the European Union — these countries with troubled pasts should be enjoying greater stability than ever. Many experts say they are simply exhausted after years of economic sacrifices made to join the EU and NATO. They now lack the clear goals that drove them since the fall of communism in 1989 to join the West and escape Moscow's shadow.
And discontent is mounting as the instant riches many eastern Europeans believed would come from EU membership have failed to materialize despite strong economic growth.
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