MAPPED: How these five central European countries threaten to destabilise EU

Political uncertainty across the region threatens to plunge the bloc into a major crisis, the US-based Freedom House think-tank said.

Zselyke Csaky, a researcher at Freedom House, raised fears about turmoil in Poland, Slovakia, Romania, the Czech Republic and Slovenia.

She told Politico: “The autumn months will be about governments being put to the test in the region.

“Local elections are coming both in Poland and Slovakia.

“Romania’s battered government will have to survive without getting a new prime minister, again.

“And the minority coalitions in both the Czech Republic and Slovenia will have to show they actually work.

“The only government that will safely flex its muscles is in Hungary.

“It will indeed do so by embarking on an already announced kulturkampf, a culture struggle, against its latest ‘enemies.'”

Poland

Warsaw’s right-wing government is locked in a fierce dispute over the rule of law.

The ruling Law and Justice party has passed a series of controversial laws aimed at bringing the judiciary under political control.

Brussels threatened to remove Poland’s EU voting rights as it attacked the “clear risk of a serious breach of the rule of law”.

The European Commission also warned it could cut financing for member states flouting “democratic standards”.

However, Poland claims the judicial reforms are needed to improve the efficiency of its courts.

Slovakia

Slovakia’s long-serving prime minister Robert Fico, a critic of the EU, was forced to resign in March.

He stepped down amid public protests sparked by the murder of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak and his wife.

Mr Fico’s resignation handed the country’s three-party ruling coalition to Peter Pellegrini.

However, activists say Mr Pellegrini has not done enough to crack down on corruption since entering office.

The country’s president Andrej Kiska has said he will not seek re-election next year.

Romania

Romania is experiencing a major political upheaval, having had three different Prime Ministers since last January.

Earlier this month, around 100,000 protesters marched in an anti-government protest in the capital Bucharest.

Liviu Dragnea, the head of the ruling Social Democrat party, said the rally was a failed attempt overthrow the government.

Riot police used a water cannon and tear gas against the crowd, leaving more than 450 people needing medical assistance.

In his first public appearance since the protest, Mr Dragnea told TV station Antena 3 yesterday: “I saw a failed coup d’etat.”

Czech Republic and Slovenia

The Czech Republic and Slovenia also pose a threat to the EU’s stability.

Czech president Andrej Babis deeply unpopular and faces a police investigation into alleged fraud, which he denies.

His minority government, formed earlier this summer, needs the support of the once-fringe Communist party to be able to rule.

And Slovenia’s newly appointed prime minister Marjan Sarec is currently trying to form a coalition.

No party won an overall majority in the country’s general election in June, sparking a two-month political stalemate.