A report published on Monday, March 30 warns that the governments of Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Italy and Slovakia are all “actively dismantling the rule of law framework.”
Authored by the NGO Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties), the report analysed evidence from across 22 European Union (EU) member states.
The state of justice systems, media freedoms, anti-corruption measures and checks and balances were all considered through evidence provided by over 40 NGOs.
Latvia was the sole nation highlighted in the 800-page report as a “hard worker” that has seen some improvement in the assessed categories. The largest category of states was “stagnators”, wherein democracy and the rule of law were neither significantly weakened nor strengthened.
Others were classified as “dismantlers” – where governments are actively pursuing regressive policies. Since the start of rightist Giorgia Meloni’s term as president in 2022, for instance, Italy has seen increased criminalisation culminating in the implementation of a strict Security Decree last year, which targets dissidents, minorities, and activists.
Prime Minister Meloni’s premiership has seen her government compared to that of Hungary, where leader Viktor Órban has held power for 16 years. The report claimed Hungary has pursued a “state of danger” narrative by framing the EU as antagonistic to national sovereignty, thus allowing for more restrictive measures.
Other nations with seemingly strong democratic institutions were identified as “sliders” – countries where the rule of law had regressed in some areas. Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Malta and Sweden were all labelled countries where “democratic standards decline in certain areas without being part of a clear political strategy”.
Meanwhile, Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, Slovakia and the Netherlands were all reported as having increased levels of harassment and violence directed towards journalists.
The report also warned of the attacks on the right to protest across the EU:
“In a significant number of Member States, protesters, particularly climate protesters and pro-Palestine protesters, faced bans, criminalisation and disproportionate action by the police. In many countries bans on individual protests transformed into concrete legislation restricting the right to peaceful protest,” the report said.
The investigation further recommended that the European Commission take stronger measures to protect the rule of law across the region.
Whilst the Commission has already launched investigations into democratic backsliding in Hungary and Slovakia, Liberties called for further legal action to examine other violations to the rule of law.
Featured image: The ELSC Demands Accountability After Police Repression in Berlin.
Source: ELSC Support
Author: Montecruz Foto
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