Thema: Demokratie & Institutionen

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.

Democracy on Thin Ice

The notorious Elections Act 2022 culminated in an appropriately dramatic fashion this past week. Following two successful motions in the House of Lords that sought to tame the most controversial provisions of the Act – the voter ID measure and subjecting the Electoral Commission to greater executive oversight – the House of Commons was forced to directly confront the disputed and unpopular nature of these measures. Despite ongoing concerns and the Lords’ efforts to intervene, the Act will go into effect largely as originally drafted.

3. Mai 2022

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Es geht um die Demokratie

Der Präsident ist im französischen Verfassungssystem der V. Republik von 1958 das zentrale Verfassungsorgan. Doch ob und wie das so bleiben wird, ist in diesem Jahr aber noch offen.  Nach der Parlamentswahl, die im Juni auf die Präsidentschaftswahl folgen wird, könnte der Reformbedarf des Wahl- und des politischen Systems unabweisbar werden. Und zwar unabhängig davon, ob Macron oder Le Pen gewinnt.

16. April 2022

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Neutrality and the Irish Constitution

Ireland, like other neutral states, has witnessed intense debates in recent weeks over the future of its neutral status. Ireland is not a member of NATO and has maintained an ambiguous status of ‘neutrality’ since independence. However, neutrality as such is not a constitutional requirement, and insofar as it obtains at all, has more the character of a policy or tradition. Departures from that tradition – particularly the joining of NATO – would nonetheless likely encounter certain constitutional barriers. In particular, it seems likely that membership of NATO would require a constitutional referendum.

13. April 2022

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A Bold Defence of Parliamentarism

At midnight on 10 April 2022, Pakistan’s National Assembly voted to pass a motion of no-confidence in Prime Minister Imran Khan, ousting his populist Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party from power three and a half years after its controversial election. The civilian government went to great lengths to stay in power, using allies in nominally impartial state offices to unconstitutionally dismiss the no-confidence motion and call snap elections. This attempt, however, failed - largely due to the country’s Supreme Court, which in a ruling on 7 April 2022 intervened decisively to protect the National Assembly from dissolution and order the vote to go ahead.

12. April 2022

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How to Overcome an Anti-democratic Heritage

Chile and Turkey appear to be more similar than one would initially imagine. In both countries, neoliberal policies were implemented through constitutions made under the shadow of military dictatorships. For the last half-century, the development of democratic culture in both countries was undermined by military coups and military governments using anti-democratic methods. However, in late 2019, Chile has taken off from its old path to become a more democratic state that rests on social justice and gender equality by generating a new constitution through intense popular participation and equal political representation.

11. April 2022

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Getting on the Wrong Side of Constitutionalism

The Chilean new constitution will be voted on a general plebiscite on September 4, 2022. While a few months ago the plebiscite might have looked like a formality, the approval rates for the Constitutional Convention and what is known of the proposed text so far have been dropping for some time now. According to recent polls, the rejection of the new text is becoming more and more likely, putting the constituent process under even more pressure.

8. April 2022

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A National Peace and Security Strategy after the »Turning Point«

Military armament has been happening not just since the so-called “turning point”. Ultimately, a better equipped Bundeswehr alone cannot lead to sustainable peace. The concept of human security and a national security strategy raised by the Foreign Minister must not be based on a purely militarised concept of security. The Federal Government ought to align its actions accordingly.

8. April 2022

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Eine nationale Friedens- und Sicherheitsstrategie nach der »Zeitenwende«

Militärisches Aufrüsten wird nicht erst seit der sogenannten „Zeitenwende“  betrieben. Eine besser ausgestattete Bundeswehr kann nicht allein zu einem nachhaltigen Frieden führen. Der von der Außenministerin aufgegriffene Begriff der menschlichen Sicherheit und eine nationale Sicherheitsstrategie dürfen nicht auf einem rein militarisierten Sicherheitsbegriff basieren. Die Bundesregierung sollte ihr Handeln entsprechend ausrichten.

8. April 2022

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