Defending the rule of law in the European Union: legal and political approaches

Abstract

In the context of rule of law backsliding, EU institutions and Member States have been taking action to defend this fundamental common value against the challenges it is facing, especially in certain Member States. Their action involves both legal and political approaches aimed at covering every aspect of the defence needed to safeguard and strengthen the rule of law, ranging from dialogues at Union and state levels to sanctioning mechanisms that tackle directly the immediate threats posed by illiberal governments and governmental practices.