The authoritarian governments of Hungary & Poland have blocked the EU's €1.82 trillion budget & Covid recovery package because their ruling parties refuse to respect rule of law.
This is a crisis of democracy that has been brewing a long time...
politico.eu/article/eu-in-…
This is a crisis of democracy that has been brewing a long time...
politico.eu/article/eu-in-…
How did the EU get itself into this mess?
1) It tolerated the Hungarian government's authoritarian moves, saying little & doing less for years, as Orbán & his ruling party gutted independent courts, free media, etc.
In short, the democratic bloc let a dictatorship get a veto
1) It tolerated the Hungarian government's authoritarian moves, saying little & doing less for years, as Orbán & his ruling party gutted independent courts, free media, etc.
In short, the democratic bloc let a dictatorship get a veto
The European People's Party @epp (a group of parties from across EU) played a critical role, protecting & supporting their ally, Hungary ruling party Fidesz, nearly every step of the way.
Merkel, Tusk, von der Leyen, Weber, Juncker… All EPP.
hrw.org/news/2020/04/2…
Merkel, Tusk, von der Leyen, Weber, Juncker… All EPP.
hrw.org/news/2020/04/2…
Here's a thread with extensive links, looking at how the EU allowed - with @epp support - a dictatorship to emerge inside it.
https://twitter.com/astroehlein/status/1321020868219277313
Poland's ruling party, PiS, used Fidesz in Hungary as its model, following along the same democracy-wrecking path to undermine the courts, media and fundamental rights.
Thread:
Thread:
https://twitter.com/astroehlein/status/1320693210495262720
The ruling parties in Hungary and Poland are both extremist in ideology.
Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán has spoken like a far-right mass murderer for years.
Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán has spoken like a far-right mass murderer for years.
https://twitter.com/astroehlein/status/1114880518250745857
Poland's president has said LGBT people are not human beings:
Poland's new minister of education has said LGBT people have no rights:
https://twitter.com/astroehlein/status/1271851473077514242
Poland's new minister of education has said LGBT people have no rights:
https://twitter.com/astroehlein/status/1310989371621945344
The EU did little to nothing for years as these extremist authoritarian parties undermined democracy & human rights at home.
No one can be surprised that these two ruling parties are now trying to evade democratic scrutiny, that they demand EU money with no questions asked.
No one can be surprised that these two ruling parties are now trying to evade democratic scrutiny, that they demand EU money with no questions asked.
The authoritarian governments in Hungary and Poland are now trying to wreck democracy across the EU just like they've done for years at home.
This is not a European budget crisis. This is a European crisis of democracy.
This is not a European budget crisis. This is a European crisis of democracy.
EU leaders now trying to reel in Hungary & Poland very late, but let's hope they've learned their lesson & stick to principles.
Above all, EU leaders now need to listen to EU citizens, who want EU funds conditional on a member state's respect for rule of law & democracy.
Above all, EU leaders now need to listen to EU citizens, who want EU funds conditional on a member state's respect for rule of law & democracy.
The EU essentially has two options for dealing with Hungary & Poland here:
1) Stare them down, that is, uphold democracy.
2) Capitulate to them, that is, allow authoritarians to have a veto over democracy.
That's the choice.
1) Stare them down, that is, uphold democracy.
2) Capitulate to them, that is, allow authoritarians to have a veto over democracy.
That's the choice.
Of course we shouldn't be here. EU leaders should have listened to rights groups, democracy think tanks, legal experts, authoritarianism scholars, & EU citizens who rightly don't want their taxes spent on corrupt regimes in Hungary & Poland.
But they ignored everyone for years.
But they ignored everyone for years.
“This veto demonstrates the dangers, or the cost, to the EU of not having stood up to these regimes earlier. Now that they are consolidated autocracies, they can try to hold the EU hostage to keep their money coming.”
- @rdanielkelemen nails it
nyti.ms/38Pe4Hz
- @rdanielkelemen nails it
nyti.ms/38Pe4Hz
Corruption and dictatorship go hand in hand...
https://twitter.com/panyiszabolcs/status/1328609561880768512
Translation: Poland wants to take EU taxpayers' money with no questions asked.
Just give us the cash, and don't tell us to respect democracy.
Just give us the cash, and don't tell us to respect democracy.
https://twitter.com/ReutersUK/status/1328632742901329921
Appeasement alert. Germany has given in to Hungary's dictator before...
If that's what's being suggested here, it will only deepen the bloc's democratic crisis.
Appeasement of dictators never works.
If that's what's being suggested here, it will only deepen the bloc's democratic crisis.
Appeasement of dictators never works.
https://twitter.com/AFP/status/1328639970828046337
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