Sweden’s Social Democrats chief wants harsher EU rules for countries who ‘don’t behave’

The European Union must become “democracy-secure” and be able to expel countries that move in the opposite direction, former prime minister and Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson told a press conference ahead of her Labour Day speech.

“The EU must stand up for what we believe in: human rights, the rule of law and democracy”, Andersson said on Wednesday ahead of the upcoming EU elections.

Since countries that want to become members have to meet certain requirements, it is only normal for countries that are going backwards in the development of democracy to have to deal with harsher measures, she said.

“We want more and sharper tools to deal with countries that don’t behave”, she said, adding that the markings must be clearer and tougher than they are today.

“Two countries that were singled out by the EU are Hungary and Poland even though now Poland has a new government that wants to reinforce democracy again,” she said, referring to the government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk that was elected last year in Poland.

One of her proposals is that the EU should be able to expel countries if they can no longer be considered democracies.

“We do not want EU countries to be excluded, but as an ultimate consequence, there must be rules to make this possible,” Andersson said.

She also called for a clearer ladder of sanctions for countries that threaten democratic principles, making suspending member states from Schengen cooperation possible.

Her proposals include making it easier to withhold money from countries that do not respect the rule of law, which she says violates press freedom, trade union rights and civil liberties.

So far, Andersson’s proposals are impossible today and would require a rewrite of the EU treaties, but the Social Democrat leader remains optimistic that her proposal can be supported by other member states willing to defend democracy within the EU.

“Now it’s about driving public opinion to get other countries on board”, Andersson concluded.

(Charles Szumski | Euractiv.com)

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