Context: Six years after exiting the European Union, the United Kingdom is discussing its future relationship with it. On September 29, 2026, Prime Minister Andy Burnham spoke at the Labour Party conference. Later, in a BBC interview, he cited a return to the EU as one possible option. He did not announce a decision on a new referendum, though. A YouGov poll conducted on September 24–25 and published on September 30 found that 59% of Britons support rejoining the EU, while 32% oppose it.
On September 25, 2026, Piotr Piatrouski stated on the YouTube channel Słowo Prawdy that, unlike the Belarusian authorities, the European Union authorities act in the interests of the minority. He claims that this is clearly stated in the Treaty of Lisbon:
“And that’s the difference: when the authorities in Belarus act in the interests of the majority, Article 2 of the European Union’s Treaty of Lisbon explicitly states that the EU has a rather strange kind of democracy. A democracy of the minority, where the interests of the minority take precedence over those of the majority.”
Article 2 of the Treaty of Lisbon includes amendments to the Treaty of Rome that established the European Community. It contains no provisions stating that minority interests are more important than majority interests. The Treaty of Lisbon amended another foundational document: the Treaty on European Union. Article 2 of the treaty does mention minorities. This is likely the provision Piatrouski was referring to.
This article lists the values on which the European Union is founded: respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and respect for human rights. The latter include the rights of persons belonging to minorities. The article also cites non-discrimination and tolerance as principles of a society whose values are shared across the EU Member States. It does not establish that minority interests take precedence over those of the majority.
The European Parliament’s November 13, 2018 resolution on minimum standards for minorities in the EU is also dedicated to protecting minorities. It notes that discrimination, persecution, and violence prevent people from exercising their fundamental rights and freedoms, as well as from participating equally in society. The European Parliament reiterates that all EU citizens must receive equal attention from the European Union’s institutions.
