Democracy Impacts

EU Legislators Protest “Harmful” Treatment by US Government

January 15, 2019

NPR reports that members of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with the US recently sent a letter to members of the US Congress protesting the Trump Administration’s “harmful approach” to US-EU relations after its decision to downgrade the status of the EU’s Mission to the US from a national delegation to an international organization.
Italian, Polish Euroskeptics Discuss Party Alliance for EU Reform

January 11, 2019

Reuters reports that Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has visited the head of Poland’s ruling Law and Justice Party Jarosław Kaczyński to discuss the formation of a “eurosceptic alliance” to compete in upcoming European Parliament elections in May on a platform of EU reform.
UK Publishes Commitment to Northern Ireland on Brexit “Backstop”

January 10, 2019

The UK government has published a paper expressing its commitment to “ensuring there would be no divergence in practice between the rules” of Northern Ireland and Great Britain in the event the “backstop” agreed between the UK and EU to avoid a “hard border” in Ireland takes effect.
Academic: “Populists” Seek to Reshape EU, Not Destroy It

January 10, 2019

Alexander Clarkson of King’s College London argues that so-called “populist” national leaders in Italy and elsewhere are not in favor of bringing down the EU but rather are interested, once in government, in using the EU system to achieve their domestic policy goals.
EU Legislator Accuses Bloc of Operating “Authoritarian” Model

January 08, 2019

Czech Member of the European Parliament Dr. Jiří Payne argues that the EU operates an “authoritarian political system” in which member states must promote supranational objectives over the interests of their citizens and in which the bloc’s officials must adhere to the integrationist goals of the Union.
Austrian Official Declines Support for EU Army

January 04, 2019

Oliver Lane writes that Austrian Defense Minister Mario Kunasek has declined support for the development of a pan-EU army, though he approved of greater collaboration among EU members and institutions on defense and security policies.
UK Official Explains Skills-Based Post-Brexit Migration Plan

January 04, 2019

UK Minister of State for Immigration Caroline Nokes describes how the UK’s post-Brexit immigration plan will still permit the migration into Britain of EU citizens who are students or who have “skills and experience that will benefit the UK economy and our society.”
EC Accepts Compromise on Italian Budget Deficit

January 04, 2019

Bloomberg reports that, in December, the European Commission (EC) accepted a compromise with the Italian government in a conflict over the country’s plans to raise spending in violation of EU “excessive budget” rules, with the EC allowing Italy to carry a budget deficit just above the bloc’s limits.
EU Body Warns of Harms Caused by Cutting Migration

January 03, 2019

In December, the European Economic and Social Committee adopted an opinion finding that, due to an ageing European population and other factors, restricting migration into the EU and failing to integrate migrants into host societies have a negative impact on the bloc’s labor force and cause rises in racism and xenophobia.
EC Announces Measures Toward Workable No-Deal Brexit

January 03, 2019

The European Commission (EC) has announced a set of unilateral measures it will put through EU institutions that ease the impacts of a no-deal Brexit, including respecting UK citizens’ rights in the EU and permitting air travel from the UK, as long as the UK reciprocates with similar measures.