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I would consider it as such already. Federations are ultimately responsible for the failures and flaws of their constituent states if they have the power to pr
by harpersealtako 5y ago
I would consider it as such already. Federations are ultimately responsible for the failures and flaws of their constituent states if they have the power to prevent them. Nobody considers the US federal government entirely free of blame when a US state passes an illiberal or undemocratic law (e.g. Jim Crow laws), and neither should EU be absolved of responsibility in properly enforcing EU laws in places like Poland and Hungary.
- tryptophan 5y agoThe EU is not a federal state.
- harpersealtako 5y agoIt IS a federation, and regardless of what you call it, the fact is that the EU has the ability to control and limit its rogue members to protect human rights, and chooses not to exercise this power in many cases. The EU is to blame for this and can be considered illiberal in this regard because it does not adequately prevent its constituent states from passing laws that infringe on citizens' fundamental rights.
- Sporktacular 5y agoIt is exercising that power to the extent it can. Taking them to court and applying economic penalties would be how actual federated states deal with rogue provinces, at least, at first. The EU doesn't have a federal police force, or even a military with a mandate to reimpose the rule of (European) law in Poland. So it's silly to suggest it has the powers of a federal state, and hence the culpability of one, so should somehow be considered illiberal.