Not every wall should be torn down. The cordon sanitaire between Democrats and right-wing extremists in Parliament has so far protected the institutions and values of the EU. The unwritten rule is that there should be no cooperation with right-wing extremists. This cordon sanitaire has been crumbling for some time. Today, it was torn down for the first time in a core law of the Green Deal.

The conservative EPP group led by Manfred Weber (CSU) has, for the first time, joined forces with right-wing and far-right groups to push through a change in the law in the European Parliament, watering down the so-called supply chain law. Companies will now no longer be liable for the most serious human rights violations in their supply chains. They will no longer face legal consequences if products are manufactured using child or forced labor. 

This change was only possible with the votes of the far-right factions. A simplification of the implementation of the law would also have been possible with the democratic factions. An offer to negotiate was made to the Christian Democrats last week. Instead of negotiating with the Democrats, however, the conservatives preferred to coordinate with the far-right factions, which voted in favor of the EPP motions, including the AfD.

In doing so, the CDU/CSU has abandoned what has been the European consensus for decades: that democratic parties do not cooperate with forces that openly question the rule of law, minority and human rights, and the European idea. Short-term majorities have been placed above the protection of European democracy. This step marks a dangerous breach.

Daniel Freund, Green Member of the European Parliament, warns:

“What we saw in Parliament today was no coincidence. It was a pact between conservatives and the far right, a taboo breach that was announced in advance. Opening the door to extremists in this way weakens the European center and endangers our democracy. This must not become the new normal. Democrats and pro-Europeans must ultimately be able to agree on compromises. However, conservatives simply broke off negotiations and preferred to cooperate with the far right.”