Macron and Merz must look at themselves if they want to stop Europe sliding to the far right | Shada Islam

"Europe's leaders cannot stop talking about democracy. President Emmanuel Macron says he wants to kickstart a democratic resurgence, and Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, has warned of an axis of autocratic states targeting liberal democracy in Europe. Having promised to fight for what she calls European values, Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, has just announced a new democracy shield and a Centre for Democratic Resilience to prevent foreign interference and deal with external threats."

"I keep hoping for similar scrutiny of democratic backsliding within the EU but so far it has not happened. Foreign interference, disinformation and the creeping illiberalism of Hungary, Poland and Slovakia deserve attention. But lost in this fretting is a more inconvenient truth: within Europe's mature democracies, there is a steady corrosion of the rule of law, a degradation of political discourse and the normalisation of racism, xenophobia and discrimination."

"Growing up in a country where democracy was fragile and frequently interrupted, I learned early that the issue is not merely about elections. It is about the quality of governance and of politicians. It depends on protecting human rights and dignity, ensuring social justice, respecting minorities and minority views and creating a genuine sense of belonging for all citizens. That is why I am troubled when EU governments and political elites undermine the rule of law,"

European leaders publicly emphasize defending democracy while focusing on foreign interference and external threats. Democratic backsliding within the EU and creeping illiberalism in Hungary, Poland and Slovakia merit attention, but mature democracies also experience steady erosion of the rule of law, degraded political discourse and normalization of racism, xenophobia and discrimination. Democratic health depends on quality of governance, protection of human rights and dignity, social justice, respect for minorities and a sense of belonging for all citizens. EU governments and political elites undermine the rule of law, constrain free speech, normalize police violence, and permit demonization of racialized refugees and migrants.

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