All articles tagged with #rule of law
A bipartisan cohort of current and retired judges travels by bus through Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan to stress the importance of an independent judiciary and the rule of law, counter politicization of the courts, and engage students and communities; the trip is funded by civic groups Democracy Rising Collaborative and Keep Our Republic.
The Bulwark argues that Trump’s use of the DOJ to target opponents must be confronted with three concrete moves: publicly pledge to prosecute enablers if the political balance tilts, use FOIA requests (as Gavin Newsom did) to force disclosure and test the investigations’ legitimacy, and seek dismissal or legal challenges when prosecutions appear vindictive. The piece warns that such abuses threaten the rule of law and First Amendment rights, and urges ongoing public and legal resistance to defend democracy.
Ukraine and Moldova have begun the first phase of EU membership negotiations, launching cluster one on rule of law and democracy after Hungary's veto was overcome; EU leaders call enlargement strategic, while Kyiv's reform efforts—especially anti-corruption and judiciary reforms—are still assessed as incomplete, and experts caution the process could take years with security considerations shaping the path.
EU ambassadors endorsed opening the first accession cluster—‘Fundamentals’ (rule of law, human rights, judiciary)—for Ukraine and Moldova and approved a rule‑of‑law roadmap plus a minority rights action plan, with intergovernmental conferences in Luxembourg on June 15. Kyiv hopes to open all six clusters (33 chapters) this summer, but the process remains merit‑based and not fast‑tracked; Moldova is included as a candidate, and Zelensky welcomed the move as important political and moral support.
Hungary’s new prime minister Péter Magyar vows to amend the constitution to remove most of Viktor Orbán’s appointees, including president Tamás Sulyok, in a bid to restore the rule of law and democracy as Hungary seeks to unlock EU funds. Sulyok resists stepping down and may seek input from the Venice Commission, while Magyar uses his party’s supermajority to target other Orbán-era bodies such as the constitutional court, State Audit Office, and media regulator, with the central bank governor Mihály Varga remaining in place to preserve independence.
The European Commission will release more than €16.4 billion in frozen EU funds to Hungary once reform milestones pass, including about €10 billion in pandemic recovery funds and €6.4 billion in cohesion funds. PM Péter Magyar says the funding follows Hungary’s democratic choice and is not linked to Ukraine talks, with disbursement conditioned on reforms passing parliament.
The European Commission unlocked €16.4 billion in EU funds for Hungary under new prime minister Péter Magyar, contingent on anti-corruption and rule-of-law reforms. About €10 billion comes from the Covid Recovery Fund with milestones, and €6.4 billion from cohesion funds to upgrade health, transport, energy grids, and education; Erasmus will resume for students, signaling a shift since Viktor Orbán’s era and a broader wind of change across Hungary.
Hungary secures €16.4bn of EU funds after a reform deal tied to anti-corruption and rule-of-law steps, with €10bn from NextGenerationEU, €4.2bn cohesion and €2.2bn for academic freedom; a €500m tranche remains blocked over LGBTQ-rights issues, as PM Péter Magyar hails a reset of EU ties and pledges swift reforms.
Brussels is cautiously engaging with Hungary’s new prime minister Péter Magyar to unlock roughly €10.4 billion in post-pandemic EU funds, insisting that concrete reforms — notably in judiciary, anti-corruption safeguards, and public procurement — must be completed before disbursement. While some progress is expected in talks ahead of a meeting with Ursula von der Leyen, EU officials warn the process isn’t simple and a ruling by the European Court of Justice on a previous fund release could complicate matters; Hungary also faces the risk of constitutional friction if reforms threaten Orbán-era positions, complicating a potential break with Brussels. The situation mirrors Poland’s mixed track record and shows the EU’s preference to see real changes before releasing money.}
An Associated Press review finds that in the first 15 months of Trump's second term, federal agencies defied or delayed compliance with lower-court orders in at least 31 lawsuits across immigration and policy, with higher courts sometimes overturning those decisions; experts warn the pattern threatens the rule of law even as some rulings are upheld.
An Associated Press analysis finds the Trump administration repeatedly ignored federal court orders in at least 31 lawsuits in the first 15 months of Trump’s return to the White House, with more than 700 lawsuits against the administration and about 250 noncompliance notes in immigration cases, signaling a sharp departure from prior administrations and raising concerns about the rule of law and checks and balances as judges clash with executive actions.
AP review finds the Trump administration violated lower court orders in at least 31 lawsuits over about 15 months, spanning immigration, deportations, and policy changes, prompting warnings from judges and scholars that such noncompliance undercuts the rule of law even as higher courts sometimes side with the White House.
Incoming Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar travels to Brussels to press for unlocking billions in EU funds ahead of an August deadline, meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as Hungary seeks to free about €10 billion in post-pandemic recovery money and secure additional financing, while Brussels links relief to progress on Ukraine alignment, sanctions, migration, and rule-of-law reforms after a reset in EU-Hungary ties.
EU officials and Hungary's incoming government held weekend talks in Budapest to unlock billions in frozen EU funds, including €10.4bn from the Recovery and Resilience Facility and up to €17bn in other funds; Hungary pledged reforms (anti-corruption, judicial independence, press and academic freedom) and said Ukraine matters will not be linked; the Commission says remaining issues can be resolved via milestones, with a late-August deadline, potentially unlocking up to €34bn for Hungary.
EU officials are in Hungary to negotiate the release of billions of euros currently blocked by the EU over concerns about Viktor Orbán’s governance and rule-of-law issues, signaling ongoing tensions and conditional funding negotiations between Budapest and Brussels.