Countries from Britain to Greece are guilty of democratic backsliding. And that threatens the integrity of the EU itself Mention concerns about the rule of law in certain EU countries, and people, even EU officials, automatically assume you are referring to Hungary and Poland. Without doubt, the state of democracy in both countries is worrying. Buoyed by strong electoral mandates, their populist governing parties are interfering with the independence of the judiciary and increasing state control of other institutions, including the media. But an equally worrying trend is less talked about. The decline in respect for the rule of law is happening elsewhere in the EU – indeed, it is an EU-wide issue and it has the potential to undermine the functioning of the entire bloc. The World Bank's governance indicators show a deterioration in Bulgaria, France, Italy and Greece Continue reading...
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