[Olog-hai]

Well, they have that side document called the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights; but like the rights listed in communist constitutions such as that of the USSR and Red China, the rights are “positive” (granted and taken away by goverment) rather than natural rights. As the first paragraph of Article 52 says:

Any limitation on the exercise of the rights and freedoms recognized by this Charter must be provided for by law and respect the essence of those rights and freedoms. Subject to the principle of proportionality, limitations may be made only if they are necessary and genuinely meet objectives of general interest recognized by the Union or the need to protect the rights and freedoms of others.

Therefore, any law can be written to take away a “fundamental right” so long as the elites regard it as furthering an “objective of general interest” or to give special rights to certain groups.

[Telepathic Intruder]

I’ve seen the document containing “fundamental rights”, but it’s unclear who those rights belong to. But I know free speech isn’t one of them. “Racism” is also a crime in much of Europe, and anyone can be called a racist. It’s not a difficult charge to pin on someone.

I may have misspoke earlier. My family came from Europe, but the Volga area of Russia. Russia is not part of the E.U.

[thoughtomator]

> Therefore, any law can be written to take away a “fundamental right” so long as the elites regard it as furthering an “objective of general interest” or to give special rights to certain groups.

The “general welfare clause” is used in exactly the same way - it essentially invalidates the rest of the Constitution.