Poland and the EU’s crowbar democracy
The EU's proposed imposition of punitive penalties against the Polish Government as a response to the country's judicial changes are anti-democratic and authoritarian, argues Peter Divey.
The EU has decided to send Poland to the naughty step, where it must sit, think, and change its mind. The European Commission has recommended Article 7.1 be implemented and must be confident of achieving the super-majority needed to formalise this censure especially as Germany and France have already indicated that they will follow the Commission's lead. If the months on the naughty step fails to persuade Poland to re-adopt "correct" European values the much more punitive Article 7.2 may follow. This will strip Poland of voting rights and even money transfers.
It is only with a "heavy heart" and "for the good of the Polish people" that the EU has decided to take this drastic action. The Polish democratically elected Government has the biggest mandate of any leadership since the collapse of Communism. The row is about changes to the judiciary which the EU consider to be politicised and authoritarian.
Poland seems to be remarkably sanguine considering this turn of events. Article 7.2 requires total unanimity from all member states and Hungary has already said that they will use their veto and the two other member countries of the Visegrad Group will likely also be supportive of Poland. The move is political says Poland and has nothing to do with urgently needed law reforms. None the less, the censure will stand.
The sub-plot is really where it is all at. Poland, and especially Hungary, are not playing ball with EU rules regarding migration. They are erecting fences and blocking migration routes. They are refusing to take their fair share of EU-wide migrants to ease the burden on other countries such as Italy. Hungary says it will not be "Islamified" and "de-cultured" and subject to the inevitable wave of murderous terror. The EU has decided it is time to force members into line, to shake down a few of the more overtly populist and EU-sceptic members.
PM May visited Poland last week. Arch-federalist Guy Verhofstadt does not miss a trick. Her PM May does not sternly chide Poland she will have demonstrated an insufficiency of European togetherness, and this will portray a lack of faith in united values post-Brexit. The UK position thus far has been somewhat neutral, not wishing to interfere in the affairs of another sovereign state. Quite right. All EU eyes will be on PM May waiting for the public dressing down as this will garner useful brownie points for team UK.
The irony of the EU hierarchy complaining about authoritarianism is completely lost within that mirrored bubble. To try and involve PM May as a puppet in this particular drama just adds farce to the charade, but can she resist?
The EU has decided to send Poland to the naughty step, where it must sit and think, and change its mind. The European Commission has recommended that Article 7.1 be implemented and must be confident of achieving the super-majority needed to formalise this censure especially as Germany and France have already indicated that they will follow the Commission's lead. If 3 months on the naughty step fails to persuade Poland to re-adopt "correct" European values the much more punitive Article 7.2 may follow. This will strip Poland of voting rights and even money transfers.
It is only with a "heavy heart" and "for the good of the Polish people" that the EU have decided to take this drastic action. The Polish democratically elected Government has the biggest mandate of any leadership since the collapse of Communism. The row is about changes to the judiciary which the EU consider to be politicised and authoritarian.
Poland seems to be remarkably sanguine considering this turn of events. Article 7.2 requires total unanimity from all member states and Hungary have already said that they will use their veto and the two other member countries of the Visegrad Group will likely also be supportive of Poland. The move is political says Poland and has nothing to do with urgently needed law reforms. None the less, the censure will stand.
The sub-plot is really where it is all at. Poland, and especially Hungary, are not playing ball with EU rules regarding migration. They are erecting fences and blocking migration routes. They are refusing to take their fair share of EU-wide migrants to ease the burden on other countries such as Italy. Hungary says it will not be "Islamified" and "de-cultured" and subject to the inevitable wave of murderous terror. The EU has decided it is time to force members into line, to shake down a few of the more overtly populist and EU-sceptic members.
Prime Minister May visited Poland last Thursday and that rabid federalist Guy Verhofstadt does not miss a trick. In advance of the visit he warned that should May not sternly chide Poland she will have demonstrated an insufficiency of European togetherness, and this will portray a lack of faith in united values post-Brexit. The UK position thus far has been neutral, not wishing to interfere in the affairs of another sovereign state. Quite right.
The irony of the EU hierarchy complaining about authoritarianism is completely lost within that mirrored bubble. To try and involve PM May as a puppet in this particular drama just adds farce to the charade.
