EU’s Top Court Upholds Linking Funding to Respecting the Rule of Law

A European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling in favor of linking EU funds to upholding the rule of law will grant Brussels more leverage in its dealings with Euroskeptic member states and could ultimately incentivize countries like Poland and Hungary to de-escalate tensions with the bloc to avoid economic sanctions. On Feb. 16, the ECJ ruled that a mechanism giving the European Commission power to stop funding for EU member states that violate the rule of law is legal. The bloc’s highest court dismissed a challenge from Hungary and Poland, which questioned the legality of the mechanism that was created in 2020. ...