Articles for tag: Conseil Constitutionnel, Emmanuel Macron, Pension Reform, Referendum

A Conservative Constitutional Council Watching over a Conservative Constitution

On 14 April 2023, the French Constitutional Council handed down its decisions on the constitutionality of the controversial pension reform and on the referendum that was supposed to stop it. In substance, the decisions were met with little surprise. What is noteworthy about them, however, is something else: Both decisions are excellent indicators of the profoundly conservative nature of the French Constitution and of the judges watching over its observance.

26. April 2023

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Die Renten- als Demokratiedebatte

Am Freitag hat der französische Verfassungsrat die Rentennovelle der Borne-Regierung im Wesentlichen nach präventiver Normenkontrolle bestätigt und die Initiative der linken Opposition zu einem Referendum („RIP“) über das Rentenalter verworfen. Die Entscheidungen sind juristisch so erwart- wie politisch kritisierbar und werfen mehrere grundsätzliche Fragen auf, die die Zukunft der französischen konstitutionellen Demokratie betreffen.

17. April 2023

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Constitutional? Perhaps. Democratic? Not so much

The adoption of the Law on Retirement without a majority in the National Assembly has caused a huge uproar in France. The use by the executive of an article or two of the Constitution, as well as the combination thereof, is deemed constitutional until a competent organ says otherwise. And the only one who could, the Constitutional Council, will probably not say otherwise. But even if something is constitutional, that does not make it democratic. A look into the justifications given by the head of State and the head of Government stirs reflection on the relationship between the constitutional and democratic character of the proceedings.

27. März 2023

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