The European Commission cannot just sit on its hands and repeatedly ignore the Parliament’s call to withhold the EU budget to member states that violate the rule of law.

Having passed a vote back in December 2020, the Commission has thus far failed to follow through with action taken against the likes of Poland and Hungary for violating the fundamental rights of EU citizens through discriminatory laws, judicial interference and clamp-downs on press freedom.

A vote in the EU Parliament today will reaffirm this stance, and Left MEPs will again demand that the Commission immediately fulfil its legal obligation by applying such rules and mechanism – which should have come into effect on 1 January 2021 – and will make it possible to stop payments from the EU budget to member states that do not respect the rule of law.

Ahead of today’s vote in the European Parliament, The Left’s co-president Manon Aubry (France Insoumise, France) said:

“Rule of law is under attack in many European countries: fundamental freedoms, democratic principles and minorities’ rights are violated every day in Hungary and Poland.”

“The European Union cannot stand by and watch without taking action. That is the message carried by the European Parliament resolution that we co-signed and support.”

“The rule of law mechanism must be enforced to protect European citizens against authoritarian regimes. We cannot wait any longer!”

Co-president Martin Schirdewan (Die Linke, Germany) added:

“Right in the heart of the EU, judicial systems are being razed, minorities are being persecuted, media freedom curtailed, and universal human rights crushed.”

“The rule of law mechanism will protect the citizens of the EU from these violations. That is why The Left supports this resolution and will vote for it.”