Thema: Autoritarismus & Populismus

Verfassungserosion, demokratischer Rückschritt, verfassungsrechtliche Herausforderungen demokratischer Regierungsführung, populistischer Konstitutionalismus und verfassungsrechtliche Antworten auf Autoritarismus. Umfasst wehrhafte Demokratie, verfassungsrechtliche Selbstverteidigung und verfassungsrechtliche Mechanismen gegen demokratische Erosion.

Entsicherte Verfassung?

Im Bundesland Thüringen treten die Folgen der wachsenden Polarisierung und Fragmentierung des Parteiensystems spätestens seit den Wahlen zum achten Landtag am 27. Oktober 2019 besonders plastisch zutage. Vor diesem Hintergrund verdient ein verfassungsverändernder Gesetzesvorschlag der CDU-Fraktion im Thüringer Landtag, der die Wahl des Ministerpräsidenten im dritten Wahlgang regelt (Drs. 7/1628), besondere Aufmerksamkeit. Obschon er nur kleinere Stellschrauben bewegt, könnte er schützende Elemente der parlamentarischen Demokratie entsichern.

13. Juli 2023

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Kulturkampf macht Schule

In Sachsen dürfen fürderhin auch Kooperationspartner*innen von Schulen keine geschlechtergerechten Sprachformen unter Verwendung von Sternchen etc. verwenden. Das hat das sächsische Kultusministerium in dieser Woche „klargestellt“, nachdem es bereits vor zwei Jahren die Verwendung sogenannter „verkürzender“ Spielarten des Genderns an den dortigen Schulen verboten hatte. Das CDU-geführte Ministerium setzt damit dazu an, den Kulturkampf gegen geschlechtliche Vielfalt und feministische Ideen aus dem schulischen Kontext heraus weiter in die Gesellschaft zu tragen – ein Projekt, das auch in dieser jüngsten Form erheblichen grundrechtlichen Bedenken begegnen muss.

13. Juli 2023

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Did Israel Lose its Sanity?

Israel is in the midst of an acute struggle over its constitutional identity. We are witnessing a government adamant about revolutionizing Israel’s constitution (“Basic Laws”), which may typically be amended by a simple majority of the legislature and is thus prey to the whims of an extreme government. The most recent move on the government’s agenda, passing a constitutional amendment that would severely restrict the reasonableness doctrine, would bring Israel closer to the brink of constitutional chaos. In this blog, I explain the theoretical arguments in favor and against the proposal and lay out the implications, should this proposal go through, given the government’s true, concerning motivations that are already evident on the grounds.

12. Juli 2023

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How to Rebuild Poland’s Rule of Law

Ahead of the next parliamentary elections, a core question is whether and if so how we can restore Poland’s rule of law. While the current effort is understandably focused on resurrecting the Constitutional Court and rebuilding an independent judiciary and prosecution, a purely institutional approach won’t be enough. Instead, it is imperative to mobilize and build lasting defiance on the ground.

24. Juni 2023

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SLAPPs, Daphne’s Law, and the Future of Journalism

Media freedom has many dimensions. Whereas the EMFA deals directly with media oversight bodies and the likes, the proposed anti-SLAPP (strategic lawsuits against public participation) directive weighs into a more niche but crucially important topic: the silencing of journalists through bogus litigation. Such bogus litigation - or SLAPPS - does not intend to „win” cases but to slowly but steadily dry out journalists financially, emotionally, and socially. Currently, the Council of the European Union and the European Union Parliament are working on their proposals of the directive. It is crucial that the Commission’s proposal will not be watered down.

15. Juni 2023

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Bulgaria’s Mafia State and the Failure of the CVM

Recent events in Bulgaria have brought the true extent of its rule of law decay to the fore. The wars between the highest-ranking prosecutors in the country, public testimonies by participants in crime syndicates implicating senior magistrates and politicians, and the brutal murders of potential witnesses against organized crime demonstrate that the line between organized crime, the judiciary, and the political apparatus is increasingly difficult to draw. In this post, I argue that the current escalation of Bulgaria’s rule of law crisis lays bare the European Commission’s continued mismanagement of the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM).

13. Juni 2023

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Finding a Constitutional Equilibrium

The beginnings of Georgian constitutionalism go back substantially to the first years of Georgia's first democratic republic (1918-1921). On 26 May 1918, Georgia declared itself independent from Russia, establishing a democratic republic and its first constitution in 1921. Arguably, it had recognized, collected and mixed the best possible practice of constitutional doctrines of the time. Although the current 1995 constitution bases its legitimacy on the first constitution, it was only through the constitutional reform of 2017-2018 that it was modernized to return to the achievements of the first Constitution of 1921.

26. Mai 2023

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Media Pluralism in KRRiT-ical Condition

In April 2023, the Polish National Broadcasting Council, the so-called KRRiT, imposed a high fine on an indipendent media outlet. It was not the first fine of this kind to independent media organisations. The growing number of KRRiT decisions targeting independent media in Poland is the result of the political nature of the procedure for appointing members of the KRRiT and the broad, unclear legal basis for imposing fines. Since 2005, the decisive voice in the composition of the KRRiT was that of the ruling political majority. This blogpost analyzes and criticizes the vague legal framework for KRRiT and the institution's apparent political capture in recent years.

25. Mai 2023

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A Flawed Vote, Not a Horse Race

The elections in Turkey/Türkiye showed the dilemma for the political opposition in competitive authoritarian regimes: They have to create momentum for change. They must believe it is possible to win elections. If they don't believe this, their voters won't. It is difficult to avoid this dilemma, but there is something journalists, experts and officials from other countries can do: Always stress the unfairness of the conditions in which the elections are being held. Do not get a carried away by the excitement of the race. Focus on the fact that the race is not being run on level ground.

23. Mai 2023

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Turkey’s Envisioned Exit from Authoritarianism

Turkey has been ruled by the AKP under Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s leadership for more than 20 years. Throughout this time, Erdoğan got almost total control over state administration and judiciary, and enchained the media and big capital owners to himself. The Nation Alliance vows to change the political regime from executive presidentialism to parliamentary democracy in case it should defeat Erdoğan on May 14. In that regard, Turkey will turn over a new leaf in its Republican history, if, for the first time, a regime change would take place through a civilian transition.

5. April 2023

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