The European Union must never turn a blind eye to rule of law challenges in member states, Europe ministers from the Party of European Socialists (PES) said today as they exchanged on the annual rule of law dialogue.
Meeting in Brussels, Belgium, ahead of the General Affairs Council (GAC) later today, socialists and democrats reaffirmed their commitment to defending EU values and exchanged on other progressive priorities for the upcoming European Council.
Tytti Tuppurainen, Finnish Minister of European Affairs and Ownership Steering, and meeting Chair, said:
“This week Finland was named the happiest country in the world sixth time in a row. One of the reasons for our high ranking is our welfare state, but another important strength of our society is trust. Trust to the legal system, trust towards politics and trust between people. This trust is a glue that holds us together. This trust is backed by rule of law. Rule of law protects our societies and also the EU. Our common values are the cornerstone of Europe’s resilience.
“Social democrats will continue to promote rule of law and the fundamental rights in the EU. It is vital for us to defend Europe’s community of values, and to reaffirm that all Member States have a responsibility to seriously address challenges and threats that undermine the rule of law.
“The agenda and narrative of the anti-democratic and anti-European forces of the far right – backed by some conservative and liberal right-wing parties – remains a major concern for democracy. These forces are trying to find a foothold everywhere and we need to be vigilant all around in Europe. These forces often legitimise infringements of the rule of law, challenge the primacy of European law, and promote a climate of distrust of democratic institutions.
“As PES governments, we will continue opposing this and working for equality, social rights and a fairer and more sustainable Europe for all.”
Meeting participants reflected on the increasing number of right-wing governments in the EU that are propped up by the far-right, including as coalition partners with traditionally centre-right parties. The meeting participants urged all European democrats to reject the normalisation of anti-democratic forces.
Ministers also exchanged on the agenda for the upcoming European Council, which will take stock of the ongoing revision of the EU’s economic governance framework and reaffirm its commitment to reaching an agreement on the new fiscal rules by the end of 2023.
The meeting was attended by:
- Tytti Tuppurainen, meeting Chair and Minister for European Affairs and Ownership Steering, Finland
- Tiago Antunes, Secretary of State for the European Union, Portugal
- Marko Štucin, State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Slovenia
- Pascual Navarro, Secretary of State for the European Union, Spain
- Biljana Borzan MEP, Vice-President, S&D Group in the European Parliament
- Yonnec Polet, Deputy Secretary General, Party of European Socialists
