US EditionFive EU governments found to ‘consistently’ dismantle rule of law
Five EU governments are labeled 'dismantlers' for intentional rule of law erosion amid failing EU mechanisms, with 61% of recommendations showing no progress, says Civil Liberties Union for Europe.
- On Monday, the Civil Liberties Union for Europe published its 2026 report, identifying Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, and Slovakia as 'dismantlers' actively weakening the rule of law across the EU.
- Liberties found 93% of European Commission recommendations in 2025 were repeats from previous years, with 61 of 100 assessed showing zero progress, demonstrating systemic failure to convert guidance into action.
- Attacks on journalists increased in Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, the Netherlands, and especially Slovakia. Italy adopted a security decree criminalizing road blockades, while Hungary banned Pride events and investigated organizers.
- Kersty McCourt, Liberties' senior advocacy adviser, warned that EU institutions "undermine the credibility of the EU" by mirroring member state issues and failing to consistently defend fundamental rights.
- Hungary remains "in a category of its own, continuing to pursue ever more regressive laws," while Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk seeks to restore judicial independence blocked by presidential vetoes from the former PiS government.
24 Articles
24 Articles
The governments of five European Union (EU) countries are consistently and deliberately undermining the rule of law, the European Civil Liberties Union has warned. A report published on Tuesday said democratic standards are declining in six more countries, including historically strong democracies, The Guardian reports.
EU and the rule of law: The current governments in Italy and four countries in Central and Eastern Europe are actively working to undermine the rule of law in their own…
Even states traditionally considered strong democracies are experiencing problems. The European human rights organization Liberties stated that the governments of five EU countries are "consistently and deliberately" undermining the rule of law. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing The Guardian. Read also: "Those who are with Orbán are helping the Kremlin": Sikorski made a harsh statement. The organization reached these conclusions in its 20…
Restrictions on justice and media, rampant corruption: civil rights activists denounce the situation in five EU countries. They also accuse Brussels.
According to the Liberties report, the Hungarian government “continues to introduce increasingly regressive laws and policies with no sign of change.”
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Bias Distribution
- 83% of the sources lean Left
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