Verfassungsrechtliche Rahmenbedingungen für demokratische Regierungsführung, Gewaltenteilung, institutionelles Design und demokratische Prozesse. Umfasst die verfassungsrechtlichen Strukturen für Legislative, Exekutive und Judikative, Wahlsysteme, Föderalismus und verfassungsrechtliche Mechanismen demokratischer Rechenschaftspflicht.
Die aktuell von der Großen Koalition gegen den Widerstand der Opposition geplante Änderung der Parteienfinanzierung bedient nicht nur viele populäre Klischees einer „Selbstbedienungsmentalität“ der Parteien, sondern überschreitet auch klar die vom Bundesverfassungsgericht mühsam austarierten Grenzen der staatlichen Parteienfinanzierung.
Without strong leadership Europe’s right-wing movements will remain a disparate band at next year’s European Parliament elections. There is one man who knows this: Viktor Orbán. The real battle next year will not be centred on Potemkin-like Spitzenkandidaten, but will polarise around Emmanuel Macron and Viktor Orbán.
Greece and the Republic of Macedonia are one step closer to re-naming R. Macedonia into the “Republic of Northern Macedonia” or “Republic of Upper Macedonia”. On 28 May 2018, the Foreign Ministers of both countries have announced significant progress towards the bilateral treaty regarding the name issue. At the same time, a road map for the name change of the Republic of Macedonia was announced that includes a binding referendum by the Macedonian people. But what happens if the treaty is already signed and binding, and the people of Macedonia vote against the name change in the referendum?
In knapp einem Jahr findet die 9. Direktwahl des Europäischen Parlaments (EP) statt. Bei der letzten Europawahl galt in Deutschland erstmals keine Sperrklausel. Wird sie nun durch EU-Recht wieder eingeführt?
The highly anticipated hearing in the Celmer case took place on 1 June 2018 before the Grand Chamber of the ECJ. The stakes are undoubtedly high. On the one hand, the efficiency of the European Arrest Warrant mechanism is clearly at risk — a risk which could lead to broader consequences for the whole architecture of mutual trust and recognition. On the other hand, the Celmer dispute goes to the heart of the problems surrounding the current Polish judicial reforms, and to the ensuing concerns about judicial independence. Taking into account the present negotiations between the Polish government and the Commission, Celmer is unquestionably both political and delicate in the extreme.
Letzte Woche hat das Europäische Gericht dem Europäischen Parlament deutliche Grenzen für die Beschränkung der Redefreiheit von Abgeordneten aufgezeigt. An sich kann man gegen den Argumentationsgang des Gerichts wenig einwenden. Dass die Einschränkung der Redefreiheit hier schon von der verfassungsrechtlich aufgeladenen Geschäftsordnung schwerlich gedeckt war, erscheint auch nicht sonderlich überraschend. Interessant ist aber, dass diese verfassungsrechtliche Aufladung der Geschäftsordnung eine grundrechtliche und keine organisationsrechtliche ist.
The new Italian government is unlikely to find a majority in Parliament; it will probably be a short-term, neutral caretaker, until the new elections, which may take place as soon as next autumn. The impeachment procedure against the President – should it start at all – will end in nothing, although it might stir the electoral propaganda.
Has the Italian President power of veto over the choice of the ministers of the government? Some argue that the Constitution does not allow Mattarella to go against the indications of the winning parties and should respect the will of the majority of the electorate, and should abstain from interfering with the political choices of the future Prime Minister. These considerations are not correct and follow from a superficial reading of the Constitution.
Constitutional capture in Poland and Hungary and what to expect from the European Commission, the Council and the Court of Justice: an interview with Laurent Pech.
The European Parliament has called for he creation of a European cross-border constituency, a transnational list of candidates from across the continent. This idea, recently popularised by French president Emmanuel Macron, has been gutted by the European People's Party, though – a move which could itself be seen as a powerful manifestation of the importance of transnational partisanship in the EU.
13. September 2025
Giovanni Capoccia
12. September 2025
Anne Peters
12. September 2025
Anne Peters