EU rule of law report shows worrying trends: How should the bloc defend its core principles?

Talking Europe

Threats to the rule of law and democratic values persist, and are getting worse in some areas. That is the message from MEPs following an analysis of the EU Commission’s latest annual rule of law report, covering the year 2024.

Parliament's assessment of the report was adopted by the Committee on Civil Liberties in May, and then approved in the parliament’s plenary session in June. MEPs are pointing to restrictions on the right of assembly, and a shrinking civic space. They are also calling for better protection of vulnerable groups from discrimination.

This as tensions rise over the Hungarian government's ban on the Pride March, and as campaigners in Poland worry about women's rights and the question of abortion following the victory of arch-conservative Karol Nawrocki in the presidential election.

Programme produced by Perrine Desplats, Isabelle Romero and Luke Brown