A recent analysis by the European Civil Liberties Union (Liberties) has identified Romania as one of five nations – alongside Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, and Slovakia – that deliberately weaken the rule of law in nearly every respect.
In Hungary, which has long been labelled an “electoral autocracy,” researchers observed a notable deterioration in legal standards in 2024. Government pressure on civil society organizations and the media increased, particularly following the establishment of Hungary’s Office for the Protection of Sovereignty. This entity wields extensive authority to scrutinize individuals engaged in public affairs.
The report, pointed to judicial systems influenced by political interference, inadequate enforcement of anti-corruption laws, the frequent use of expedited legislative processes, intimidation of journalists, and heightened restrictions on peaceful demonstrations. The document, compiled by 43 human rights organizations from 21 EU nations, warned that without decisive intervention, democracy in the EU could face even greater decline.
Since 2019, Liberties has conducted an annual assessment to monitor the European Commission’s reports on rule of law, which serve as a barometer for democratic governance in EU states. Over six years, the organization’s findings have consistently revealed persistent violations of the rule of law across the bloc, according to Viktor Kazai, a senior expert in the field at Liberties.
Kazai noted that all fundamental principles of legal governance have been under growing threat, while EU efforts to counteract this trend have yielded only limited results. He identified the most concerning category of nations as those actively working to dismantle legal safeguards.
In Romania, the recent presidential election demonstrated the power of TikTok in enabling an obscure ultranationalist candidate to secure victory. Meanwhile, a proposed law aimed at ensuring the independence of public broadcasters has remained stalled in parliament since 2021.
In Italy, analysts raised concerns over Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s administration, which has drafted measures that would grant the justice ministry broad oversight over prosecutors, thereby increasing political influence over the judiciary. Italian sources also reported “unprecedented interference” in state-run media, referencing incidents such as the cancellation of author Antonio Scurati’s “anti-fascist manifesto” and disciplinary action taken against a talk show host who was supposed to feature it.
Bulgaria’s government has come under scrutiny for initiating anti-corruption investigations against key political opponents while failing to address persistent issues, such as the illegal disposal of construction waste in Sofia.
Slovakia has also raised alarms due to sweeping changes implemented by the populist-nationalist administration of Robert Fico. These include dismantling the central prosecutor’s office and introducing a draft law on foreign agents – similar to legislation in Russia – that would require NGOs receiving more than €5,000 in foreign funding to carry the stigmatizing label of “foreign-supported organization.”
In Croatia, the integrity of the judicial system has been questioned after Ivan Turudić, a judge with close ties to the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HSZ), was appointed as the state prosecutor general.
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) has criticized Croatia for persistent systemic challenges in upholding the rule of law, particularly after Turudić’s office appeared to dispute EPPO’s jurisdiction over a suspected fraud case involving EU funds.
Poland was highlighted as a cautionary example. While the coalition government led by Donald Tusk has been striving to restore judicial independence and media plurality, these efforts have been hindered by President Andrzej Duda, who remains aligned with the previous ruling party. Liberties noted that reversing institutional erosion is an extremely difficult and fragile process.
In France, researchers warned of the increasing reliance on Article 49.3 to bypass parliamentary votes, along with growing restrictions on free speech – measures introduced ahead of the Olympics or in the name of countering foreign influence.
In Germany, while new rules have been implemented to limit the “revolving door” phenomenon, in which high-ranking officials transition into private sector roles in newly regulated industries, concerns were raised over disproportionate actions taken against pro-Palestinian demonstrations. These include censoring pro-Palestinian perspectives and barring former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis from entering Germany after being invited to speak at such an event.
Last April, authorities shut down a three-day Palestinian conference in Berlin over fears it could serve as a platform for anti-Semitic rhetoric.
The report urges the European Commission to enhance its monitoring framework, linking rule-of-law compliance to the disbursement of EU funds and expediting legal proceedings against member states that violate democratic principles.
