Exclusive: Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Italy and Slovakia actively pursue regressive policies, watchdog finds
Governments in five EU member states are “consistently and intentionally” eroding the rule of law, Europe’s leading civil liberties group has warned, while democratic standards are deteriorating in six more, including historically strong democracies.
Drawing on evidence from more than 40 NGOs in 22 countries, the Civil Liberties Union for Europe (Liberties) described the governments of Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Italy and Slovakia as “dismantlers” that were actively weakening the rule of law.
The group’s 2026 report, released on Monday, said the rule of law had regressed in all areas – justice, anti-corruption, media freedom and civil society checks and balances – in Slovakia under the populist, authoritarian, pro-Moscow government of Robert Fico.
Its a bit more than just an EU thing
Source:
https://www.v-dem.net/documents/75/V-Dem_Institute_Democracy_Report_2026_lowres.pdf
Putin won all kinds of elections, just not his own in Russia. He had to cheat on his own turf l.
The question is what to do about them? Kick them out of the EU? Diminish their power in the EU? Or just let them sit and fuck things up for everyone else?
Well, looking at the polls, almost every country is at risk; the right is gaining ground everywhere. Today it’s five countries, but tomorrow there could very well be more. I don’t think kicking them out is the best solution (not least because, as an Italian, I’d prefer it if you didn’t leave us to our fate)
Not claiming to have an answer here. It’s a tough problem.
It needs a mechanism to cut funding and restrict access to markets. Solidarity should end once they vote in pro Putin fascists. They can ask their new daddy for money
Populism is on the rise again, like a never ending 70 year cycle.
Where are you getting 70 year cycles from? This is showing something a bit different:
Source:
https://www.v-dem.net/documents/75/V-Dem_Institute_Democracy_Report_2026_lowres.pdf
I must have seen it written somewhere.
Apologies, details are incorrect but you get my point
We’re in the third reactionary reversal, see you in 40 years when everything is ok again 🫣
Crazy how a world embracing communications / the internet seems to correlate with the increase of autocracy. I remember when in civilisation internet was a progressive science accomplishment.
I think I remember a good SMBC comic that had some commentary about how when we started the internet it seemed like free and open information would build a better world but sadly it hasn’t gone that way. I couldn’t find it though.
This is slightly relevant though:
boot them the fuck out. paradox of tolerance!
They should be put on a list and if they do not fix XYZ in x years they will lose access to the EU and Schengen money etc. All they have is cheap labor and the other countries do not need them, au contraire. They can fix their shit and reapply to join.
yea because germany supporting a genocide or france’s assembly doing a minute of silence for a nazi is so progressive /s
This is not about being progressive or not but about respecting the rule of law. No law says that EU has to be progressive.
Are you stupid? It specifically say “Exclusive: Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Italy and Slovakia actively pursue REGRESSIVE policies, watchdog finds”.
As if the other were the vanguard of ProGrEss
Regressive is not the opposite of progressive in this case. It’s the opposite of democratic.
rule of law had regressed in all areas – justice, anti-corruption, media freedom and civil society checks and balances
Ah yes. When you define words case by case it works
