Apathy in Central European Democracies: WHO CARES ABOUT THE RULE OF LAW?
Apathy in Central European Democracies: WHO CARES ABOUT THE RULE OF LAW?
Apathy in Central European Democracies:
WHO CARES ABOUT THE RULE OF LAW?
We invite students and everyone interested to a three-part seminar series which marks the conclusion of a two-year research project examining rule of law challenges in the Visegrad Four countries (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland). The project has focused on public attitudes toward democracy and the rule of law, as well as the constitutional and institutional frameworks within which these developments unfold.
The populist challenge to liberal democracy – and the people behind
24 March 2026 (Tuesday), 13:00-14:00 (online)
What are the key differences between the liberal and populist conceptions of democracy? How has liberal democracy contributed to the success of populism? How do citizens rate the importance of majoritarian and counter-majoritarian elements of the democratic system?
Buying the rule of law?
27 March 2026 (Friday), 13:00-14:00 (online)
Why has the EU struggled to enforce the rule of law effectively in its Member States? Why does judicial independence lie at the heart of EU rule of law debates? And how could intra-EU rule of law conditionality be strengthened and depoliticised?
Central European alternatives for liberal democracy?
30 March 2026 (Monday), 10:00-11:00 (hybrid – room 38 at the Faculty of Law CU and online)
How are governing majorities formed and restrained across the V4 countries? Can institutions rooted in majoritarian legitimacy, such as second chambers and referenda, perform counter-majoritarian functions? What explains the divergence in democratic resilience across the V4?
About the speaker: Beáta Bakó is a postdoctoral researcher at the Law Faculty of Charles University. She earned her PhD in law at the University of Münster in 2020. Her recent academic publications focus mostly on the EU’s rule of law crisis.
Format: The first two seminars will be held online, while the third will take place in a hybrid format. Each seminar will consist of a 40-minute presentation followed by a 20-minute discussion. The events are open to all interested participants, both within and outside Charles University.
To register, use this link or scan the QR code below. Participants may register for individual seminars or for the full series. Should you have any questions, feel free to contact us at: ilona.smotlachova@prf.cuni.cz
The workshop is part of the project „MSCA Fellowships CZ – UK2” (reg. n. CZ.02.01.01/00/22_010/0008115), supported by the Programme Johannes Amos Comenius.
