A historic decision by Poland has shaken the European Union: on October 7, the Constitutional Court in Warsaw ruled that certain articles of the European treaties are incompatible with the Polish constitution, thus calling into question the primacy of European law. On Sunday, tens of thousands of Poles demonstrated throughout the country against this decision to express their attachment to the European Union.
On October 19 in Strasbourg, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, promised a firm reaction: “We will not let our common values be put at risk. The Commission will act,” she told MEPs. But how? Several avenues are on the table. Among them, the suspension of funds paid to a state if it does not respect the rule of law. Mateusz Morawiecki, the Polish Prime Minister, denounced “blackmail” and the “language of threats or coercion”.
After the Brexit, is there a risk of a Polexit?
To see our previous weekly editorials on international news, take a look here!