Who does the law serve and who serves the law?
The Rule of Law is enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty of the European Union. It underpins the very idea of democracy and the rights we have in Europe, and – in theory – protects the people from the powerful, providing a framework for equality. But who gets to decide what is fair and what isn’t when it comes to creating the law? And what happens when discrimination is built into the law?
Host Juli Simond is joined by Christian Kvorning Lassen, Deputy Director and Head of Research at Europeum, to look at how polarisation is placing pressure on this fundamental European value, with a direct impact on environmental issues, migration and the status of refugees, and democracy: “It’s not a coincidence that in the countries where the rule of law is most often challenged, we also have some of the lowest voter turnouts in the European Union.”
About The Seventh Value
The Seventh Value is a collaboration between the Evens Foundation and Are We Europe, which explores the values that make up the fabric and face of the European Union. Human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights. Over 70 years ago these founding pillars were written into the treaty of the European Union, but how have they withstood the test of time? What other values might be important today? Find out more here.
Episode Five Credits
Guest – Christian Kvorning Lassen, Deputy Director and Head of Research, Europeum
Host – Juli Simond, Are We Europe
Producer – Anneleen Ophoff, Are We Europe
Sound Designer – Wederik De Backer, Are We Europe
Coordinator – Federica Mantoan, Evens Foundation
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