THE RULE OF LAW IN THE EU AND ITS CHALLENGES: ISSUES, ACTORS AND STRATEGIES

The book reflects on the nature of the rule of law in the European Union and the present and future consequences of the attacks that are undermining it. The rule of law is meant to ensure that all powers are subject to rules, and that no one is above the law, regardless of their institutional, political, economic or social position. It is a constitutive element of all liberal democracies, and it is a foundation of the European Union as well, where it guarantees fundamental rights and values, and fosters a workable legal, political and social environment. The current attacks to the rule of law in Europe have serious consequences not only for the legal order, but also more broadly for the workings of civil and political society. The resurgent interest in the topic of the rule of law in EU studies is driven, on the one hand, by a general reflection on the fundamental values upon which the EU is based. On the other hand, the EU institutions have endeavored to define new means to strengthen the rule of law in the EU. The book analyzes rule of law violations from different perspectives, investigating the impact of threats to the rule of law on the quality of European democracy, a theme that is central in current debates. The topic will be approached from a distinctive interdisciplinary perspective, political, sociological and legal, contextualizing the challenges in relation to a large set of dimensions.