Assita Kanko after a heated debate on the rule of law in Poland: “It is difficult for a divided house to stay standing”

“It is time for the European Union to focus once again on that little word ‘Union’, on what unites us: European values, respect for the rule of law and dialogue.” MEP Assita Kanko comments from Strasbourg on the clash between the EU and Polish Prime Minister Morawiecki following a ruling by the Polish Constitutional Court on which legislation has primacy.

The plenary debate of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Tuesday was the scene of the confrontation between Commission President von der Leyen and Polish Prime Minister Morawiecki. In subsequent interventions, the Union appeared divided, Assita Kanko notes. “It is time for the European Union to focus once again on that little word ‘Union’, on what unites us: European values, respect for the rule of law and dialogue. We must never relent on that. But the tensions between the European Commission and the Member States cannot escalate further.”

Russia and China are rubbing their hands with glee over European division

There will always be some tension between the Member States and the Union, MEP Kanko notes. “There is nothing wrong with that as such. Robust debate is a hallmark of any healthy democracy, but what I heard here was not dialogue, but rather an exchange of the deaf. If we can’t talk with our friends, how can we solve problems with our enemies? Superpowers such as Russia and China are rubbing their hands with glee at so much European division. They would like nothing better than for us to fight in the gutter.”

Common values are crucial

Assita Kanko understands the Polish concerns about their sovereignty, but fully supports the European legal order. “The signal Poland is sending may be understandable, but is needlessly causing tension and fragmentation. With their accession to the EU, they subscribed to the shared European values and the European rules of the game, including the primacy of European laws over Polish laws. However, no one should lose sight of the fact that our common values are crucial.”

The EU must also take a good look at itself

“The EU must also take a good look at itself,” Assita Kanko says. “Threatening Member States does not help to convince them. Moreover, the EU is too selective in its outrage. The fierce reaction against Poland is in stark contrast to the deafening silence towards other Member States. That selectivity is fatal for the European sense of unity.”

The EU will only have a future if it can convince its citizens of its added value

According to Assita Kanko, no one benefits from the current quarrelling. “Europeans expect us to care about important issues such as migration, energy prices and the geopolitical challenges. If citizens see that we are mainly concerned with ourselves, they will abandon us. The EU will only have a future if it can convince its citizens of its project and its added value.”