Defending democracy and the rule of law in Europe

Abstract

The rule of law was long considered the unquestionable fundament of the European Union, guiding both European integration on the inside and setting the framework conditions for enlargement. Recent constitutional and legislative changes in several member states are questioning core features of the rule of law, with some member states attempting to implicitly and explicitly counter the alleged Western liberal bias inherent in the concept by providing an “illiberal” narrative. Such challenges to fundamental liberal principles also undermine the very unity of the EU. This panel discusses what European rule of law should mean today and the extent to which this principle allows for legitimate differences among member states within a common rule of law culture.