Politics Over Law: The Erosion of Liberal Democracy

Herbert Kickl, leader of Austria's Freedom Party, caused controversy in 2019 when he stated that law should follow politics during a discussion about asylum policies. Austrian President Van der Bellen immediately responded by emphasizing the importance of the European Convention on Human Rights. However, what was once considered scandalous has gradually become normalized.

In May, Danish PM Mette Frederiksen and Italian PM Giorgia Meloni initiated a document signed by seven EU leaders that questioned the relevance of human rights conventions. This represents a concerning shift where extreme political positions are becoming mainstream through media discourse, potentially undermining the fundamental principles of liberal democracy and human rights protections established after World War II.