Skip to content
Magazine
Friday, August 1, 2025
SUBSCRIBE
  • About Us
  • Belgium News
    • Belgium Police News
    • Brussels News
  • EU Institutions News
    • European Commission News
    • European Parliament News
    • European Council News
  • Europe News
  • World News
  • Belgium Business News
  • Culture and Society News
  • In Depth
    • Ambassador’s Corner
    • The American Angle
    • Sustainable Perspective
    • Europe With Transparency
    • Place de la Bourse
    • The Macro-Economist
    • Southeast Europe
  • About Us
  • Belgium News
    • Belgium Police News
    • Brussels News
  • EU Institutions News
    • European Commission News
    • European Parliament News
    • European Council News
  • Europe News
  • World News
  • Belgium Business News
  • Culture and Society News
  • In Depth
    • Ambassador’s Corner
    • The American Angle
    • Sustainable Perspective
    • Europe With Transparency
    • Place de la Bourse
    • The Macro-Economist
    • Southeast Europe
SUBSCRIBE

EP calls for stronger push against authoritarian regimes

Sarhan Basem by Sarhan Basem
18 February 2022
in European Parliament News
Democracy,In,Prison,-,Symbolic,3d,Rendering,Concerning,Totalitarian,Systems

authoritarian regimes

Belgium (Brussels Morning Newspaper) The European Parliament is extremely concerned by widespread challenges to human rights and democracy, which threaten to undermine the protection of democratic governance, institutions, and universal human rights all over the world.

Today, the EP passed a resolution approving the annual report on human rights and democracy in the world as compiled by MEPs in the Subcommittee on Human Rights. The report, which urges the EU to push back more strongly against totalitarian and authoritarian regimes, was approved in the Parliament by 487 votes in favour to 80 against, with 120 abstentions.

The report comes as the European Court of Justice (ECJ) cleared the way on Wednesday for the European Commission to penalise individual EU member states for breaches of the Union’s laws and values by denying them access to EU budget funding.

The adopted report urged the EU executive to cooperate more intensively with the US and other like-minded democracies to support global freedom and democracy efforts. It proposed the urgent introduction of an EU-wide scheme to issue short-term visas for human rights defenders threatened by authoritarian governments in their countries.

The report also stressed the growing danger of environmental crimes, urging the EU to promote the recognition of ecocide as an international crime, In addition, it called for the scope of the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime to be expanded to cover acts of corruption.

MEP Maria Soraya Rodriguez

“Today, for the first time in the last 20 years, there are more autocratic regimes than liberal democracies”, Spanish MEP Maria Soraya Rodriguez Ramos of Renew Europe declared after the vote. “The weakening of democratic institutions and the rule of law around the world requires a commitment from the EU, both internally and externally, to defend our core values”, she maintained.

At a time when two EU member states – Hungary and Poland – have been showing increasingly authoritarian tendencies, many MEPs praised the ECJ ruling which dismissed complaints by Warsaw and Budapest about their being possibly denied EU funds.

“We don’t want to harm Hungarian and Polish people”, Iratxe Garcia Pérez, the S&D Group president, said earlier this week. “On the contrary, they need our support and they can count on us. Let’s use the mechanism: taxpayers’ money should never end up in the pockets of those who undermine our shared values.”

Garcia Pérez

Garcia Pérez pointed out that S&D MEPs had fought hard to establish a direct link between EU funds and the rule of law. “Wherever law doesn’t rule, tyrants do. Without the rule of law, democracy becomes the dictatorship of a majority who feels legitimated to suppress minorities and opponents, and try to impose an official line of thought”, she stated.

Italian MEP Laura Ferrara of the 5 Star Movement (M5S) stressed that Poland had engaged in constant attacks on civil rights, particularly against women and LGBTQ communities, while Hungary had introduced an anti-LGBTQ law, which likely violates at least two articles of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

MEP Laura Ferrara

“The European Commission must now act and apply this regulation without further delay against Poland and Hungary”, Ferrara contended in her plenary speech. “Europe is not an ATM but a community based on values ​​and rights and these must be respected.”

Related News:

  • Renew Europe Calls for Stronger Measures Against Foreign Interference in the EU
  • CCP strengthens ties with autocratic regimes
  • Human Rights Groups call for an end of surveillance tech sales to autocratic regimes
  • EU MEPs Push for Stronger Protections: Defining Rape and Combating Cyber Violence
Tags: Brussels DirectNews
Next Post
273555743_327244082654293_8916643495908283987_n

‘Triptych’, an ecstatic macabre dance performance by the Peeping Tom company

Latest post

EU-elections-UK

EU elections: UK looks on from the “outside”

1 year ago
Galeries-Royales-Saint-Hubert

What Makes Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert an “Institution”?

1 year ago

Most Read

    Follow Brussels Morning
    Facebook Twitter Youtube Linkedin

    Browse Important News

    Belgium News
    Brussels News
    Culture and Society News
    Economy News
    EU Institutions News
    European Commission News
    European Council News
    European Parliament News
    Europe News
    Health And Fitness News
    Southeast Europe News
    Sustainable Perspective
    World News
    Diplomacy News
    US Elections News

    About Us

    Brussels Morning is a daily online newspaper based in Belgium. BM publishes unique and independent coverage on international and European affairs. With a Europe-wide perspective, BM covers policies and politics of the EU, significant Member State developments, and looks at the international agenda with a European perspective.

    More Info

    • About Us
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Cookies Policy

    Join Our Newsletter

    Brussels Morning Newspaper – All Rights Reserved © 2024

    No Result
    View All Result
    • Home
    • About Us
    • Belgium News
      • Belgium Police News
      • Brussels News
    • Brussels Bubble
      • European Parliament News
      • European Commission News
      • European Council News
    • Wider Europe
      • Member States
    • World News
    • Business & Society
    • Europe With Transparency
    • Culture & Society
    • Policy Talks
      • Place de la Bourse
      • The Macro-Economist
      • Sustainable Perspective
      • Ambassador’s Corner
      • The American Angle
      • Southeast Europe
    • Print Magazine

    Brussels Morning Newspaper - All Rights Reserved © 2020

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT