Conversation with... a panel of eminent legal professionals – threats to the rule of law: are we at a crisis point?

Threats to the rule of law: are we at a crisis point? A generation after countries throughout Central and Eastern Europe and elsewhere in the world celebrated the overthrow of authoritarian regimes and committed themselves to building societies based on the rule of law, the rule of law has come under challenge. Recent populist surges have led to the dilution or abandonment of rule of law reforms and the values on which they were based. At this unique session, hear first-hand accounts of the warning signs, the circumstances, and the consequences of governmental actions that have undercut the independence of judiciaries, vilified the press, suppressed individual freedoms, and attacked the legal profession. How serious are these issues? Are we at a crisis point? What are the stakes, and what are the responsibilities of members of the legal profession worldwide?