About: Rule of Law Mechanism Archives

Poland's foreign minister denied Wednesday (9 August) accusations that his EU country is drifting towards authoritarianism amid a string of government reforms that have triggered mass protests at home and EU warnings about rule of law violations.

Poland's ruling Law and Justice party is sticking to its plans to reform the judiciary but will wait for proposals from President Andrzej Duda before taking further action, its head Jaroslaw Kaczynski said on Thursday (27 July).

Poland's president on Monday (24 July) vetoed controversial judicial reforms that had prompted huge street protests and threats of unprecedented EU sanctions.

Thousands of demonstrators bearing candles marched on the Polish Supreme Court on Sunday (23 July) in protest against controversial proposed judicial reforms.

The Commission is likely to call for the triggering of Article 7 next Wednesday (26 July) with respect to Poland, often referred to as “the nuclear option” to punish an EU member state, it emerged following the weekly meeting of the EU executive today (19 July).

Thousands of Poles protested on Sunday (16 July) against the government’s attempts to secure full control over the judiciary. EURACTIV Poland's editor-in-chief reports from Warsaw.

The EU remained silent yesterday (13 July), despite being pressed by journalists to say something following the news that Poland's governing ultraconservatives tabled a bill in parliament that would subjugate the Supreme Court to executive power.

French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, speaking at a joint presser after the end of the EU summit on Friday (23 June), said that treaty change should not be an obstacle to carrying out important reforms.

While the election of Emmanuel Macron as French president with a vision of closer European Union integration was a relief to much of Europe, for Poland and Hungary it fanned fears of losing influence.

The European Commission said today (12 April) it will decide by the end of the month on the possibility of launching infringement procedures against Hungary, stopping short of mentioning heavier punishments.

EXCLUSIVE/ EURACTIV spoke with the former Hungarian Commissioner László Andor this morning (12 April) just before the EU executive gathered to discuss the “illiberal drift” in his country.

Restrictive legal changes in Poland and Hungary overshadowed EU Justice Commissioner Věra Jourová's announcement of new figures comparing EU countries' judicial systems today (10 April). The Commission will debate a newly passed Hungarian law targeting the Central European University on Wednesday (12 April).

The Juncker Commission will hold a “first debate” over the drift toward ‘illiberal democracy’ in Hungary at its next meeting on Wednesday (12 April), with First Vice-President Frans Timmermans making a presentation.

The Polish government approved yesterday (7 March) a draft bill that would give parliament a bigger say on the appointment of judges, a move the country's top judiciary council and ombudsman said would violate the constitutional separation of powers.

The European Commission will consult with EU member states on whether to take further action against Poland in a dispute over the rule of law that has lasted more than a year, officials said yesterday (22 February).

Poland considers its dispute with the European Commission about the country's rule of law closed, its foreign minister said yesterday (21 February), leaving Brussels with the impossible decision of punishing Warsaw.

Poland dismissed on Monday (20 February) demands that it implement judiciary reforms deemed essential by the European Commission to uphold the rule of law.

Tens of thousands of protesters hit the streets of the Polish capital Warsaw Saturday (24 September) to rally against moves by the rightwing Law and Justice (PiS) government that they say undermine the rule of law.

Polish prosecutors said yesterday (18 August) they had begun investigating whether the head of the constitutional tribunal exceeded his authority by not allowing three judges chosen by the ruling parliamentary majority to rule on cases.

Poland's government rushed an amended version of its constitutional court reforms through parliament yesterday (7 July), apparently in an effort to reassure its Western allies over the issue hours before a NATO summit opens in Warsaw.

Tens of thousands of people marched across downtown Warsaw on Saturday (4 June) protesting against government policies they believe threaten democracy, as the country marked the 27th anniversary of its first taste of electoral freedom.

Poland's rightwing government and the European Commission said yesterday (24 May) they were upbeat about finding a solution that would roll back Warsaw's overhaul of the top Polish court, which critics warn endangers its independence.

The European Commission warned that  it could take further action against Poland over its commitment to the rule of law on Wednesday (18 May), unless Warsaw's conservative government makes "significant" progress.

Around a quarter of a million Poles flooded central Warsaw on Saturday (7 May), marching to defend their country's place in the European Union and protest against moves by the right-wing government, which they claim undermine democracy.