Introduction: The Great Rule of Law Debate in the EU

Faced with what has been labeled ‘rule of law backsliding’ in some EU countries, EU institutions have sought to address the rise of ‘illiberal regimes’ via existing mechanisms as well as new instruments. This introductory contribution offers an overview of the problem and a brief summary of the papers to follow and which were first presented at a workshop co-organized by the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law and Middlesex University London.