Rule of law crisis in the new EU Member States


	Conflict Studies / nota bene Reference: Di Gregorio A. Rule of law crisis in the new EU Member States // Conflict Studies / nota bene. 2016. № 4. P. 241-251. URL: https://en.nbpublish.com/library_read_article.php?id=68628 Di Gregorio A. Rule of law crisis in the new EU Member States Abstract: This work analyses one of the hot topics of the constitutional debate in Europe, - the democratic backslidings in some new EU members States. This is a problem not fully studied by Russian political science and legal doctrine. Although many works of Western research have been devoted to this subject, a general analysis of the political and constitutional causes of this regression is lacking. The author employs a cross-cultural method of legal research that includes a historical approach with multiple political connotations. The innovative features of the article include an outline of the characteristics of the transition to democracy in the Central and Eastern Europe. The author examines European Union's ‘rule of law’ enforcement mechanisms and the reasons for their inefficiency, the major reason for this being the immature system of democratic transition in Central and Eastern Europe. Another significant reason for this is the fetal stage of political culture and vague constitutional framework of new EU members, as well as flaws in their constitutional engineering. Keywords: Constitutional debate, Eastern Europe, European Union, legal doctrines, democratic norms, political culture, law enforcement, democratic institutions, constitutional framework, constitutional engineering This article can be downloaded freely in PDF format for reading. Download article References 1. Venice Commission. Report on the rule of law, 25-26 March 2011. URL: www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/default.aspx?pdffile=CDL-AD(2011)003rev-e; 2. Krygier M. Rule of Law // M. Rosenfeld, A. Sajo (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Constitutional Law. Oxford, Oxford University Press. 2015. PP. 233-249 3. Adams M. A., Meuwese E., Ballin H. (eds.). Constitutionalism and the Rule of Law: Bridging Idealism and Realism. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2016. 4. Bogdandy A., Sonnevend P. (eds.). Constitutional Crisis in the European Constitutional Area. Theory, Law and Politics in Hungary and Romania. Hart Publishing, Oxford and Portland. 2015. 5. Perju V. The Romanian double executive and the 2012 constitutional crisis // International Journal of Constitutional Law. 2015. Vol. 13. № 1. 6. Di Gregorio A. Lo stato di salute della rule of law in Europa: c’è un regresso generalizzato nei nuovi Stati membri dell’Unione? // DPCE on-line. 2016. №4. PP. 173-202. 7. Kochenov D., Pech L. Monitoring and Enforcement of the Rule of Law in the EU: Rethoric and Reality // European Constitutional Law Review. 2015. Vol. 11, Issue 3. PP. 512-540. 8. Costa P., Zolo D. (eds.). Rule of Law: History, Theory and Criticism. 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Enforcing the EU Charter in Member States // Bogdandy A., P. Sonnevend P. (eds.). Constitutional Crisis in the European Constitutional Area. Theory, Law and Politics in Hungary and Romania. Hart Publishing, Oxford and Portland. 2015. P. 231. 17. Nergelius J. The Role of the Venice Commission in Maintaining the Rule of Law in Hungary and in Romania // Bogdandy A., P. Sonnevend P. (eds.). Constitutional Crisis in the European Constitutional Area. Theory, Law and Politics in Hungary and Romania. Hart Publishing, Oxford and Portland. 2015. PP. 307-308. 18. Opinion on the compatibility with Constitutional principles and the Rule of Law of actions taken by the Government and the Parliament of Romania in respect of other State institutions and on the Government emergency ordinance on amendment to the Law N° 47/1992 regarding the organisation and functioning of the Constitutional Court and on the Government emergency ordinance on amending and completing the Law N° 3/2000 regarding the organisation of a referendum of Romania. Adopted by the Venice Commission at its 93rd Plenary Session (Venice, 14-15 December 2012). URL: www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/?pdf=CDL-AD(2012)026-e. 19. Di Gregorio A. La giustizia costituzionale in Russia. Milano, Giuffré, 2004. 20. Holmes S. Back to the Drawing Board // East European Constitutional Review. 1992. Vol. 2. № 1. P. 22. 21. Klingsberg E. Safeguarding the Transition // East European Constitutional Review. 1993. Vol. 2, № 2. P. 44. 22. Hoffmeister V.F. 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Di Gregorio A. Rule of law crisis in the new EU Member States