Brussels – In 2024, Europe, gripped by insecurities and fears for its security and economic stability, has decidedly shifted more to the right, to the detriment of the rights and freedoms of the citizens of the Union. The latest Liberties Rule of Law 2025 report, released today (March 17) by the Civil Liberties Union for Europe, states that without decisive action, the EU, stricken in each of its countries by political manipulation of the judiciary, weak anti-corruption, and restriction of press freedom, “risks further democratic erosion.”
The NGO, which, with the collaboration of humanitarian bodies and associations from 18 EU countries, has been measuring the health of European democracy every year since 2019, analyzed the behaviors of various national governments, pointing out that “the most worrying category of countries” is that of the “dismantlers” — governments that intentionally take measures to weaken the rule of law in almost every aspect.
These include Italy: researchers indicated how the Meloni government has drafted proposals to give the Ministry of Justice “absolute power” over prosecutors, thus expanding political control over the judiciary. The case of the cancellation of the broadcast of Antonio Scurati’s “anti-fascist monologue” and the disciplinary case initiated against journalist Serena Bortone for the inclusion of the speech in her RAI program “Chesarà” were cited as examples of the Italian government’s “unprecedented” interference in the public service media. The report cites Bulgaria and Slovakia for undermining civic space and the constitutional system, Croatia for the government’s obstruction of fraud investigations against the EU budget, and Romania for lacking adequate tools to protect the electoral process. The report places Hungary in a separate category due to significant regression, primarily due to the launch of the Office for the Protection of Hungary’s Sovereignty, which holds broad powers of investigation into Hungarians active in public life (to the detriment of media and NGOs).
While Ireland, the Netherlands, Malta, and Greece maintain the same levels as in 2023, the report warns how France and Germany, historically defined as “model democracies,” are not immune from drift. France has seen a decline in the protection of the rule of law, mainly due to the abuse of constitutional procedure under art. 49.3, which allows the executive to push through decisions without any vote, and due to the increasing restriction on freedom of expression introduced at the Olympics. The report also cites concern for Germany‘s “excessive and disproportionate” responses to pro-Palestinian events, in several cases canceled and censored, and the insufficient countering of the “revolving door” system, i.e., the tendency of senior officials to hold positions in areas they have recently regulated. The Czech Republic emerged as the country that took the most action to strengthen democracy, while it acknowledged Poland’s democratic restoration efforts despite the difficulties Donald Tusk’s government faces.
The NGO called for the European Commission to strengthen the EU’s monitoring activity by tying it to the release of European funds and to speed up legal action against the rule of law violations.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
