baroness hamwee, thank you for coming in. union in this country, for much of eastern europe it's a club many are still desperate tojoin. albania and macedonia are the latest applying for membership. they know it will be dependent on meeting criteria and conditions — democracy, rule of law, an independentjudiciary and a free press, at the very least. but what happens when those who've already earned their membership start to move toward a creeping authoritarianism, erosion of the very standards the eu seeks to promote? when poland and hungaryjoined the eu 14 long years ago, it promised to be more than just a summer of love. after years of knocking on the door, the moment had come. these formerly eastern bloc countries would seal their liberal credentials, joining the most powerful club in europe. for a decade or so, the promises broadly held. but today, the eu finds itself being tested by the creeping authoritarianism of its member states. hungarian pm viktor orban is back in power with a resounding victory after campaigning o