The Nederlandse orde van advocaten makes it crystal clear: several party manifestos score poorly on upholding the rule of law, from asylum freezes to withdrawing from human rights treaties and proposals that normalise discrimination.
This goes beyond politics. This is the erosion of the rule of law, and it affects us all.
What are the risks?
- Access to justice (collective action): banning public interest litigation by civil society organisations restricts access to the courts and hollows out the rule of law.
- Fundamental rights: sweeping restrictions on the right to demonstrate.
- Checks and balances: withdrawal from the ECHR and the Refugee Convention; curtailing civil legal protections.
When we selectively decide which rights apply to whom, everyone ultimately loses. Normalising such policies undermines security, freedom and equal treatment.
