During November 2025, the students of European Institutions participated in a formative experience at Radio CEU, where they presented five radio roundtables devoted to the Rule of Law in Poland, Hungary, Italy, Romania and Spain. This activity, integrated in the research projects led by Professor Susana Sanz, combines teaching, research and dissemination within the Rule of Law Crisis in the EU research group.
During the second week of November 2025, second-year Political Science undergraduates at Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera took part in a particularly meaningful training experience for the European Institutions course, jointly taught by Professors Almudena del Castillo Santamaría and Zitan Peng Hao. The activity consisted of preparing and recording in the studios of Radio CEU five roundtables focused on the development, functioning, and challenges of the Rule of Law in different EU Member States.
In the stands: Professors Susana Sanz and Almudena del Castillo.
Over one month, the five groups independently developed their scripts, structuring their research around five thematic axes linked to the Rule of Law in the European Union: 1) Judicial independence in Poland; 2) Systemic corruption and institutional control in Hungary; 3) Media freedom in Italy; 4) Protection of human rights and minorities in Romania; and 5) Media freedom in Spain.
They worked with European legislation; recent reports (Rule of Law Report, WJP, RSF); case law from the Court of Justice of the EU and the European Court of Human Rights; journalistic articles; and academic documentation. The preparation of their scripts reflected a process of analysis and synthesis, which was reinforced during the recordings, in which students demonstrated a clear mastery of the topics addressed.
In the final phase of the project, each group took part in a moderated talk-show format at the Radio CEU studios. Transitioning from written text to live interventions showcased students’ effort and work: through the microphones, they expressed expository clarity, a balance between legal explanation and political contextualization, and the ability to answer questions posed during the recording.
The group on Poland clearly explained the impact of the judicial reforms introduced by the ruling party, the activism of the Court of Justice of the EU, the role of Article 7 TEU, and the continuing political pressure on the National Council of the Judiciary. The reflection on a potential “point of no return” was one of the most powerful moments of the session.
The group devoted to Hungary analyzed corruption from a structural perspective, highlighting the concentration of power around the ruling party, the weakening of judicial independence, media capture, and the blocking of European funds through the Conditionality Regulation. Their combination of data, concrete examples, and references to Hungarian civil society added special depth.
In the case of Italy, the students addressed media freedom by linking the Italian reality with the new European Media Freedom Act, analyzing political interference in RAI, SLAPP lawsuits, corporate concentration, and the risks to informational pluralism.
The group on Romania presented a very comprehensive analysis on the protection of human rights and minorities, with particular attention to the situation of the Roma community, the obligations under the ECHR, the fragility of judicial independence despite the existence of prominent anti-corruption structures such as the DNA, and a critical reflection on the current European definition of “Human Rights.”
Finally, the group on Spain contextualized the country’s position in European indices, showing both advances and challenges: enduring political pressure on public media, the need for pending regulatory reforms, and the challenges posed by digital platforms in the framework of the DSA and the European Media Freedom Act.
All the recordings demonstrated a balance between analytical rigor and clear exposition, especially relevant for a course that combines institutional knowledge with current European issues.
These recordings will be broadcast soon on Radio CEU. In the meantime, they are already available here: the five talk-show recordings.
Beyond its pedagogical dimension, the activity fits fully within the working lines of the Rule of Law Crisis in the EU research group. Over the years, the group has documented and analyzed the transformations of the Rule of Law in Europe, its institutional challenges, and the responses of the European Union to democratic setbacks in certain Member States.
For the professors of the European Institutions course, we want to express our gratitude to the students who participated in this initiative for their dedication, effort, seriousness, and ability to carry out a demanding project with authenticity and enthusiasm; to Professor Susana Sanz Caballero for promoting the integration of teaching and research within the framework of her projects; to Professor Quique Roger Belloch for his logistical support; and to the Radio CEU team, especially Alfonso Sanfeliu Frechina, Gonzalo Escrig Molina, and Alejandra Carrillo García, for their professionalism and support throughout the recording process.
