By William Stroupe

As Poland’s constitutional crisis deepens, the EU is increasingly likely to slap sanctions on the country for violating EU rule of law commitments. The EU’s Venice Commission, a human rights watchdog, released a highly critical report after a series of controversial actions by the Polish government. Upon election, the conservative-led government expanded the Constitutional Court and adopted new procedural rules which made it more difficult to overrule legislation on constitutionality concerns. The high court rejected the new rules as unconstitutional. However, the government has refused to publish the court’s opinion (and thus render it binding) on the basis that the high court failed to follow the new rules in concluding that they were unconstitutional. If the EU’s rule of law investigation finds violations in Warsaw, the European Council may invoke Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union to suspend rights arising from the Treaty, including Poland’s right of voting representation in the European Council. In the event a specific violation of EU law is found and prosecuted under Article 258 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, financial sanctions may also be imposed.

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March 28, 2016

By William Stroupe

Until recently, Poland had long been the unanticipated great post-Soviet success story. Though Hungary was the popular candidate for post-Soviet stardom, it was Poland that quickly transitioned into a market democracy. It has since been the golden child of the European project. The country is often cited as the best evidence that a totalitarian, centrally-planned, middle-income state can transform into a wealthy, liberal democracy. That reputation is now in question.

In 2015, the right-of-center Law and Justice (PiS) party won the Presidency and an absolute majority in both Sejm and Senate (the lower and upper houses of parliament respectively). The wave of popular support for right-leaning parties’ anti-immigrant, nativist stances came in the wake of a worsening refugee crisis which exacerbated frustration with EU gridlock. The first absolute majority in both houses of Parliament since Polish independence more than two decades ago was seen as a test of Poland’s young but vibrant democracy.

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March 22, 2016

By Katie Bacharach

Last week Madagascar voters went to the polls in the first presidential election since the coup in 2009. The country was plunged into turmoil after Mr. Rajoelina ousted former President Ravalomanana. Since then, foreign aid has largely been cut and poverty has worsened.

BBC and Reuters have the details on how the election has gone. There were 33 presidential candidates in the election, which has been postponed three times this year. Mr. Rajoelina, former Presidents Ravalomanana and Ratsiraka, and Ravalomanana’s wife were all barred from running for president. Voting was largely peaceful, although a number of polling stations outside of the capital were attacked.

According to BBC, European and African observers announced that the election was “free, transparent and credible”. Preliminary results show that Richard Jean-Louis Robinson has about 30 percent of the votes and his main rival Hery Martial Rakotoarimanana Rajaonarimampianina has just over 15 percent.

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October 28, 2013