I live in Poland, which (among a few other countries, especially Hungary) made a solid turn from liberal democracy to a less liberal one (Hungary proudly says it is "illiberal democracy"). Laws (including constitution and international agreements) are frequently ignored, applied selectively, or amended illegally.

Governments are not magically bound by law. The cost of breaking or ignoring the law depends on the public reaction (i.e. changes in their approval rate, protests on the streets that can be managed with police and military).