Recently, some national governments of EU member states have undermined the EU�s fundamental values, as laid out in Article 2 of the Treaty of the European Union, by strengthening their executive power and weakening the separation of powers. In other member states, corruption is rampant and media freedom under pressure. Populists are on the rise across Europe, sometimes participating in government. To date the EU has failed to take effective steps against violations of democratic standards in individual member states. This publication makes a number of concrete suggestions on how the EU can safeguard and promote democracy in its member states. The suggestions include monitoring, conditionality of EU funds, judicial enforcement by the European Union, the support of civil society through a new fund for NGOs and the appointment of a Special Representative on Civil Society, measures to guarantee media pluralism, and recommendations to European parties, which should exert influence on problematic member parties.