Conclusions

The aim of this book has been to analyse violations of the rule of law and the related impact of the new wave of populism on the European integration process. It has done so through a number of studies focusing both on general and theoretical issues, and on specific areas and cases, applying a variety of disciplinary approaches. This concluding section examines whether general lessons can be drawn from the various disciplinary perspectives and case studies discussed in the previous chapters. For this purpose, it addresses some key issues. It analyses the meaning of the rule of law in the European Union context and in the member states, as well as its impact in various areas important for the European integration progress. It then explores the implications for the rule of law of the onset of populism as a set of ideas and practices in the European supranational arena.