Mattias Kumm

Why the Council is under a legal duty to propose Juncker as a Commission President

The German Chancellor has stated that she would “conduct all negotiations with a view to ensuring that Claude Juncker becomes President”. But the qualifications she continues to make suggest that she very much remains willing to hide behind Cameron and a minority of other leaders to aim for “a compromise” that will leave democratic aspirations in Europe severely harmed. Citizens have good reasons to be concerned. Continue reading >>

Mattias Kumm

Der Europäische Rat ist verpflichtet, Juncker vorzuschlagen

Die Position von Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel, "jetzt alle Gespräche genau in diesem Geiste (zu führen), dass Jean-Claude Juncker auch Präsident der Europäischen Kommission werden sollte" ist nicht nur politisch angemessen, sondern europarechtlich und verfassungsrechtlich geboten. Continue reading >>

Renáta Uitz

Expelling dissent: On account of the ECtHR judgment in Baka v Hungary

The European courts have been rather active in finding Hungary in violation of European constitutional and human rights minimum standards in April and in May 2014. In the most recent judgment in this line of cases, Baka v Hungary, the ECtHR found that the last chief justice of the Hungarian Supreme Court, András Baka, had been removed from office through constitution-making before the end of his term due to his criticism of the government’s judicial reforms. The Baka case is symptomatic of a fundamental shortcoming of Hungary’s new constitutional reality: the suppression and expulsion of dissent from the domestic political sphere. Sadly, the timing of the ECtHR’s judgment is perfect, as it comes at a time when the government is taking intense legal steps and other measures silence dissenting voices even further. Continue reading >>

Renáta Uitz

Expelling dissent: On account of the ECtHR judgment in Baka v Hungary

The European courts have been rather active in finding Hungary in violation of European constitutional and human rights minimum standards in April and in May 2014. In the most recent judgment in this line of cases, Baka v Hungary, the ECtHR found that the last chief justice of the Hungarian Supreme Court, András Baka, had been removed from office through constitution-making before the end of his term due to his criticism of the government’s judicial reforms. The Baka case is symptomatic of a fundamental shortcoming of Hungary’s new constitutional reality: the suppression and expulsion of dissent from the domestic political sphere. Sadly, the timing of the ECtHR’s judgment is perfect, as it comes at a time when the government is taking intense legal steps and other measures silence dissenting voices even further. Continue reading >>

Päivi Leino-Sandberg, Janne Salminen

Languages and EU law discourse: A view from a bilingual periphery

Typically, researchers go for impact; impact on other research, other legal practices along legal research, notably in the legislative, administrative and judicial branches. And the very idea of research includes the element of sharing – and sharing your results is easier if you are understood. In order to take part in the relevant discussions you need to go for two publication channels in parallel: national discourse and communication in foreign languages. Continue reading >>

Päivi Leino-Sandberg, Janne Salminen

Languages and EU law discourse: A view from a bilingual periphery

Typically, researchers go for impact; impact on other research, other legal practices along legal research, notably in the legislative, administrative and judicial branches. And the very idea of research includes the element of sharing – and sharing your results is easier if you are understood. In order to take part in the relevant discussions you need to go for two publication channels in parallel: national discourse and communication in foreign languages. Continue reading >>

Dimitry Vladimirovich Kochenov

‘My dear, the Noise, the People…’: On Fears about Assemblies

The European Parliament is institutionally shielded against any tangible negative consequences of the shameful election results actually derailing vital policies. ‘Europe’, in the first place, is a way to protect the Member States from their own stupid, homophobic and racist people (among others), and the EP is the worst possible place for parochial hatred policies. The remedy against turning EP elections into xenophobic crusades of the vile would be to make the EP a full-fledged Parliament. Continue reading >>

Dimitry Vladimirovich Kochenov

‘My dear, the Noise, the People…’: On Fears about Assemblies

The European Parliament is institutionally shielded against any tangible negative consequences of the shameful election results actually derailing vital policies. ‘Europe’, in the first place, is a way to protect the Member States from their own stupid, homophobic and racist people (among others), and the EP is the worst possible place for parochial hatred policies. The remedy against turning EP elections into xenophobic crusades of the vile would be to make the EP a full-fledged Parliament. Continue reading >>

Uladzislau Belavusau

Paying Tribute to the Ghost of Democratic Deficit

Literally a week ago any scholar daring to advocate “less power for the EU Parliament” and “hands off the Commission” would have faced a storm of dramatic accusations from all sorts of legal and political scientists. EU academia is deeply infected by a virus called “democratic deficit”. Last week parliamentary elections in Europe revealed the need to challenge this virus and explain why politicising the Commission (the direction enthusiastically advanced in recent EU scholarship) is largely erroneous and potentially mortal for the EU immune system. Continue reading >>

Daniel Thym

Die Einsamkeit des deutschsprachigen Europarechts

Europarechtler im Ausland nehmen deutschsprachige Diskussionsbeiträge kaum noch wahr. Doch auch in Deutschland werden auf Englisch geführte Debatten teilweise ignoriert. Dies erschwert den internationalen Austausch über die Vorzüge und Defizite des Unionsrechts und stellt die deutsche Europarechtswissenschaft vor die Frage, wie sie es mit den Publikationen (auch) auf Englisch hält. Continue reading >>

Filip Bubenheimer

Das gelöschte Feststellungsinteresse: BVerwG weist Klage gegen BND-Überwachung ab

Tausende Suchbegriffe stehen auf der Liste des BND, mit deren Hilfe der Dienst im internationalen Internet- und Telefonverkehr nach verdächtigem Gedankenaustausch sucht. Angesichts des Umfangs der Schlagwortliste ist es nicht ganz unwahrscheinlich, dass auch der ein oder andere Rechtsanwalt Teil des nachrichtendienstlichen Beifangs wird. Der Kläger vor dem Bundesverwaltungsgericht, der Berliner Rechtsanwalt Niko Härting, sah sich besonders gefährdet. Doch der Versuch, das für die Zulässigkeit notwendige Feststellungsinteresse zu konstruieren, scheiterte am Bundesverwaltungsgericht und dem bewährten Argument: Da kann ja jeder kommen. Continue reading >>

Adam Bodnar

Why EU-friendly Poland showed so little voter turnout at the EP elections

The Polish society is still a beneficiary of the European integration. We take advantage of the output legitimacy of the system. EU money has a substantial impact on the situation of farmers, infrastructure investments (highways, railway, modern buildings, renovation of cities) or numerous social cohesion programs. But there is a general feeling that support by the EU budget is the most natural thing, like oxygen in the air. We deserve it due to our democratic transformation path. That is the reason why more than 80% of the Polish population support European integration. But at the same time, there is no feeling of responsibility for the whole European project. Continue reading >>

Hüseyin Celik

Wenn der Volkswille den Gesetzgeber zum Verfassungsbruch zwingt

Mit der erfolgreichen Pädophilen-Initiative haben die Schweizer ihre Regierung in eine Zwickmühle gebracht: Das absolute Verbot, verurteilte Pädophile jemals wieder mit Kindern arbeiten zu lassen, verstößt gegen das Gebot der Verhältnismäßigkeit. So bleibt der Regierung bei der Umsetzung nur die Wahl, auf die eine oder auf die andere Weise verfassungswidriges Recht zu schaffen. Continue reading >>