Op-Ed: “The Future of the Rule of Law in Europe” by Jakub Jaraczewski

Few areas of concern are more pressing for the EU here and now than the ongoing rule of law crisis in several Member States. Two EU Member States – Hungary and Poland – are for another subsequent year falling down in rule of law rankings. Consensus emerges that the former is no longer a proper democracy while the latter is dangerously close to such status, having seen an accelerated erosion of checks and balances, in particular the judicial oversight over the executive. The other EU Member States struggle with the independence and efficiency of the judiciary, prevention of corruption, the legality of Covid-19 measures and other challenges to the rule of law.

All of these challenges require an adequate reaction from EU bodies and i