Public Affairs Commentary

Kelemen writes commentary on European affairs for a number of newspapers and magazines in the US and Europe. Below is a selection of recent articles. For more, see his author pages on Politico, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, and VerfassungsBlog.

He can be followed on Twitter @rdanielkelemen

Selected Recent Commentary

"Will Brussels Stop Funding Autocracy?,” Washington Post (Monkey Cage), 13 April 2022.

Analysis | Will Brussels stop funding autocracy?Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s power rests in part on how he distributes E.U. funds to oligarchs and local authorities in exchange for support.

"Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine is Remaking Europe,” Washington Post (Monkey Cage), 28 February 2022. with Kathleen McNamara.

Analysis | Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is remaking EuropeNo one expected the European Union to overturn its cautious approach to foreign policy so quickly.

“The Curious Case of the EU’s Disappearing Infringements,” Politico Europe, 13 January 2022. with Tommaso Pavone.

The curious case of the EU’s disappearing infringementsThe Commission took a laxer approach to enforcement precisely when it was most needed.

“The Other Side of Angela Merkel,” Foreign Policy, 9 July 2021. with Matthias Matthijs.

The Other Side of Angela MerkelWhat the world has misunderstood about the German chancellor.

“The EU Commission Has to Cut Funding to Hungary: The Legal Case,” Study solicited by the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament, 7 July 2021. with Kim Scheppele and John Morijn.

Press coverage of this report in dozens of newspapers across europe including Financial Times, The Guaridan, Der Spiegel, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Volkskrant, De Morgen, Der Standard and Népszava

The EU Commission has to cut funding to Hungary: the legal caseToday, we are calling for the European Commission to trigger the new Rule of Law Conditionality Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092 with respect to Hungary. Specifically, we are calling on the Commission to issue a written notification to the government of Hungary pursuant to Article 6 (1) of the Regulation, the first step in a process that that could eventually lead to the suspension of EU funds.

“Viktor Orban turned Hungary away from democracy. Now his European allies are turning on him,” Washington Post (Monkey Cage), 7 March 2021.

Analysis | Viktor Orban turned Hungary away from democracy. Now his European allies are turning on him.Orban's Fidesz party had to leave the European People's Party Group to avoid a humiliating expulsion.

“Time to Call Hungary and Poland’s Bluff,” Politico Europe, 19 November 2020.

Time to call Hungary and Poland’s bluffBudapest and Warsaw are playing a weak hand in pledging to veto EU budget and recovery plan.

“You Can’t Fight Autocracy with Toothless Reports,” EU Law Live, 6 October 2020.

Op-Ed: “You can’t fight autocracy with toothless reports” by R. Daniel Kelemen - EU Law LiveOn September 30, with one democracy under its guard already burned to the ground and another in the midst of a three-alarm fire, the European Commission published an obscurantist … Read more

“Von der Leyen is Weak on Rule of Law,” Politico Europe, 21 September 2020.

Von der Leyen is weak on rule of lawThe house is already on fire. It’s too late to promise to ‘ensure there is no backsliding.’

“Europe’s Faustian Union,” Foreign Policy, 30 July 2020.

Reprinted in Greece, “Η Φαουστιανή Ενωση της Ευρώπης,” Kathemerini, 1 August 2020; Romania, “Uniunea faustică a Europei,”România liberă, 1 August 2020; Macedonia, “Evropska faustovska unija,” Vijesti, 3 August 2020; Hungary, “Európa fausti uniója,” Népszava, 6 August 2020.

Europe’s Faustian UnionThe EU’s budget deal shows that the club has long given up on rule of law in its member states.

“Der Lieblingsautokrat von CDU und CSU” [The favorite autocrat of the CDU and CSU], with Christopher Wratil, Die Welt, 3 June 2020.

Viktor Orbán: Der Lieblingsautokrat von CDU und CSU - WELTViktor Orbán baut Ungarn zu einer Autokratie um. Trotzdem kooperieren CDU und CSU seit über zehn Jahren auf Europaebene mit seiner Partei. Gleichzeitig grenzen sie sich zu Hause scharf von Rechtspopulisten ab. Wie passt das zusammen?

“National Courts Cannot Override CJEU Judgments: A Joint Statement in Defense of the EU Legal Order,” co-authored with Eeckhout, Piet, Fabbrini, Federico, Pech, Laurent; Uitz, Renáta: Verfassungsblog, 2020/5/26

Reprinted in Spain, “La supremacía del derecho comunitario,” El Pais 30 May 2020; Italy, “Il Diritto UE Batte Quello Dei Singoli Stati,” Il Sole 24 Ore, 30 May 2020; Poland, “Prawnicy: Sądy krajowe nie mogą rościć sobie pierwszeństwa wobec TSUE,” Rzeczpospolita, 1 June 2020; Ireland, “National Courts Cannot Override CJEU Judgments,” The Irish Times, 31 May 2020; Greece, “Τα εθνικά δικαστήρια δεν μπορούν να παρακάμπτουν τις αποφάσεις του ΔΕΕ,” www.constitutionalism.gr, 30 May 2020; and France, “Les juridictions nationales doivent respecter les arrêts de la CJUE,” blogdroiteuropeen.com, 8 June 2020.

National Courts Cannot Override CJEU Judgments The European Union is a community based on the rule of law. The EU legal order is the backbone that holds the EU together, and the German Federal

“The EU is undermining its democracies while funding its autocracies,” with Jacob Soll, Politico Europe, 13 May 2020.

The EU is undermining its democracies while funding its autocraciesMixed message risks undermining European project.

“With one court decision, Germany may be plunging Europe into a constitutional crisis,” with Federico Fabbrini, The Washington Post (Monkey Cage), 7 May 2020.

Analysis | With one court decision, Germany may be plunging Europe into a constitutional crisisIf you add fights over court power to money issues, coronavirus and democratic collapse, expect explosive consequences.

“El corona-golpe de estado de Orbán,” La Vanguardia, Spain, 5 April 2020.

Reprinted in Slovenia, “Najstarejši trik avtokracije,” Delo, 9 April 2020, and Slovakia, “Orbánov koronový prevrat,” DennikN, 2 April 2020.

El corona-golpe de estado de OrbánEl lunes 30 de marzo, con la pandemia del coronavirus como telón de fondo, el parlamento húngaro le otorgó al primer ministro Viktor Orbán un conjunto de amplios

“Hungary Just Became a Coronavirus Autocracy,” The Washington Post (Monkey Cage), 2 April 2020.

Analysis | Hungary just became a coronavirus autocracyWill Europe respond to Orban’s power-grab?

“If you think the U.S. is having a constitutional crisis, you should see what is happening in Poland,” The Washington Post (Monkey Cage), 25 January 2020.

Analysis | If you think the U.S. is having a constitutional crisis, you should see what is happening in PolandAn epic battle is taking place between Poland's government and Supreme Court.

“The E.U. is supposed to promote democracy. So why do anti-democratic politicians thrive within it?,” The Washington Post (Monkey Cage), 2 December 2019.

Analysis | The E.U. is supposed to promote democracy. So why do anti-democratic politicians thrive within it?Party alliances, subsidies, and easy emigration all help soft authoritarians stay in power.

“The Perils of Passivity in the Rule of Law Crisis: A Response to Von Bogdandy,” with Cassandra Emmons and Tommaso Pavone. Verfassungsblog, 26 November 2019.

The Perils of Passivity in the Rule of Law Crisis: A Response to von Bogdandy In a recent contribution to Verfassungsblog, Professor Armin von Bogdandy observes, “European constitutionalism is perhaps facing a ‘constitutional moment’. The European Union has to decide whether it comprises illiberal democracies or whether it fights