Warsaw – ESI presentation at Batory Foundation: the future of the conflict over the rule of law

ESI’s Gerald Knaus participated in an online debate organised by the Polish Batory Foundation. He said that at the moment the EU’s institutions are fragile and that there is an urgent need for member states who believe in the rule of law to unite and defend it. Furthermore, the instruments that exist within the EU must be used in favour of the rule of law and isolating member states that breach the rule of law does not work.

Gerald added that “whether the Union survives depends on how Europeans vote. After all, we have seen in recent years how fragile our institutions are. One election was enough, and NATO was in doubt. Another election – and there was Brexit. This means that we should be interested in politics in each EU country.”

• ESI Proposal:  How the rule of law dies in Poland, 30 April 2021
• ESI discussion paper:  An Article 19 Mechanism - The need for a robust defence of EU rule of law, 23 July 2020
• ESI discussion paper:  Poland’s deepening crisis - When the rule of law dies in Europe, 14 December 2019