Democracy Impacts

French Leaders Back Law to Fight Radical Islam

February 19, 2021

French MPs approved a controversial law against separatism, officially named "reinforcing republican principles », which plans to crack down on online hate speech and foreign funding of religious groups, in particular Muslims and Evangelicals.
French Leaders Declare U.S. « Woke » Movement a Threat

February 16, 2021

The U.S. movements of woke leftism and cancel culture have french Politicians, prominent intellectuals, and academics voicing concerns, warning that American ideas on race, gender, and post-colonialism are undermining French society and are an attack on French heritage.
EU’s Borrell: Corruption Hampers Ukraine’s Reform Process

February 16, 2021

According to a speech of High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, the European Union believes that the reform process in Ukraine continues to be hampered by widespread corruption, calling on Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau to be fully independent as well as reassuring the country that they have the EU’s political, technical, and financial support.
Paris Court Finds French State Guilty Over Climate Inaction

February 03, 2021

The Paris administrative court recognized ecological damage linked to climate change and held the French state responsible for failing to fully meet its goals in reducing greenhouse gases after a group of NGOs backed by two million citizens had filed a complaint accusing the French state of failing to act to halt climate change.
EU Gives Poland a Month to Respond to Concerns

February 01, 2021

The European Commission considers Poland in violation of EU law for allowing the Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court to make decisions which have a direct impact on judges and the way they do their jobs, warning the country that it must address these long standing concerns within a month or face possible legal action.
Yahoo: Branch of AfD Placed Under State Surveillance

January 27, 2021

A regional branch of Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is being actively monitered by Germany's domestic intelligence agency as a possible prelude to placing the party under surveillance nationally as a « suspicious entity », which would give agents increased powers of surveillance.
Poland plans to make Censoring of Social Media Accounts Illegal

January 18, 2021

The Guardian reports that Polish government officials have denounced the deactivation of Donald Trump’s social media accounts and will draft a law that will make it illegal for tech companies to take similar actions in Poland.
EU to Investigate Hungary for Ignoring Asylum Ruling

January 14, 2021

According to reports by a Budapest-based NGO, the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, Hungary is continuing to force would-be asylum seekers back into Serbia and will be receiving a formal European Commission notice for ignoring a recent EU court ruling on asylum.
EU Court of Justice to Consider EU’s Rule of Law Mechanism Battle

December 21, 2020

The Court of Justice of the European Union is set to consider whether the EU can adopt a rule of law mechanism that would impose financial penalties on member states that it considers are not meeting bloc-wide rule of law standards, the uncertain content of which raises concerns on the part of Hungary and Poland.
Norwegian Eurosceptics Call for Distance from the EU Ahead of Elections

December 21, 2020

As Norway heads toward an election, Eurosceptics from The Center Party are taking a lead with a message that the Nordic country, which is not a European Union member, needs to distance itself from Brussels after a 1994 deal created a close legal and financial relationship.