26 October 2022
Fighting for a Cause
On 18 October 2022, the European Court of Human Rights handed down its judgement in the case of Mørck Jensen v. Denmark, upholding the applicant’s conviction under Danish law of breaching the prohibition on entry into and stay in a conflict zone in order to participate in armed hostilities on the side of one party to an ongoing armed conflict. In its judgment, the Court consciously opted to take an objective or neutral stance towards the question of whether there may exist ‘right’ reasons to travel to a hot conflict zone in order to actively participate in armed activities. Continue reading >>
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Alles auf Anfang oder weiter so?
Bei der Wahlprüfung durch das Parlament und durch die Verfassungsgerichte stellt sich nicht nur die Frage, wie stabil ein Parlament gehalten werden muss, sondern auch umgekehrt, in welchem Maße Wahlen noch die Überzeugungskraft besitzen, tatsächlich demokratische Legitimation zu stiften. Je öfter nämlich offensichtliche Rechtsverstöße bei der Wahl durch die Besonderheiten des Wahlprüfungsverfahrens vollkommen folgenlos bleiben, desto stärker werden Zweifel daran genährt, ob es bei der Wahl überhaupt mit rechten Dingen zugeht und nach demokratischen Regeln gespielt wird. Continue reading >>Normative Power Through Protest
On September 16, 2022, Mahsa Amini died in state custody. Since then “a barrier of fear has been broken” in Iran: in the streets of Tehran and other cities in the world, people demonstrate against state-religious heteronomy. How does international law relate to what is happening in Iran and what role could it have? In our view, the assessment of a breach of international law can be both an important contribution for the course of the ongoing protests as well as for the effectiveness of international law itself. Continue reading >>A Defining Moment for the UN Business and Human Rights Treaty Process
The ongoing process to negotiate a UN treaty on business and human rights has its 8th annual session this week in Geneva. Though embraced by many NGOs, this initiative has so far failed to secure widespread support amongst states with wide divergences remaining regarding the proposed instrument’s objectives and design, as well as its relationship to the UN 2011 Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, an earlier soft law instrument championed by governments, businesses and international actors. Yet there may be light on the horizon. Continue reading >>
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Useless and Maybe Unconstitutional
In part III of our analysis of the anti-corruption framework, we will look at another aspect of the Hungarian “reforms”: a new procedure that seems to allow the general public to challenge in court the decisions of Hungarian public prosecutors to drop corruption cases. The new procedure is nearly impossible to use and adds little value to existing controls on the public prosecutor. In addition, the Hungarian Constitutional Court may declare it unconstitutional in any event. Continue reading >>
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25 October 2022
Hamburger Hafenrundfahrt im Regierungsviertel
Der jüngste Streit um die geplante Beteiligung der chinesischen Reederei COSCO an einem Terminal im Hamburger Hafen hat die Investitionskontrolle in den Mittelpunkt der öffentlichen Aufmerksamkeit gerückt. Während die Gegner der Beteiligung einen Ausverkauf kritischer Infrastruktur an China als systemischen Rivalen in der immer schärferen geoökonomischen Auseinandersetzung um die Vorherrschaft in der Welt sehen, betonen die Befürworter die Gefahr eines Bedeutungsverlusts des Hamburger Hafens. Wer immer sich durchsetzt – das geltende Investitionskontrollrecht gibt hierfür die notwendigen Spielräume. Käme es zu einer Untersagung, so wäre auch kaum damit zu rechnen, dass diese erfolgreich auf dem Verwaltungsrechtsweg angegriffen werden könnten. Continue reading >>
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24 October 2022
Russland und das Anti-Folter Komitee (CPT)
Trotz Ausschluss aus dem Europarat und dem damit verbundenen Ende der Bindung Russlands an die Europäische Menschenrechtskonvention (EMRK) bleibt Russland an die „Europäischen Konvention zur Verhütung von Folter und unmenschlicher oder erniedrigender Behandlung oder Strafe“ von 1989 gebunden. Russland muss daher Besuche der Anti-Folter-Kommission des Europarates zulassen. Continue reading >>Ohne Beweislastumkehr doch kein Knaller für Racial-Profiling Prozesse
Am Dienstag, den 18.10.2022 war es wieder einmal so weit: Deutschland wurde vor dem Europäischen Gerichtshof für Menschenrechte verurteilt. Die Entscheidung Basu v. Deutschland stellte eine Verletzung der Europäischen Menschenrechtskonvention fest. Es geht um Racial Profiling, die Bundespolizei, Sachsen – es sieht also nach einem Knaller aus. Der Gerichtshof schließt, dass der Vorwurf des Racial Profiling nicht ausreichend ermittelt wurde. Konkreter gesagt: dass schon keine Struktur existierte, die eine solche Ermittlung gegenüber der Bundespolizei überhaupt gewährleisten konnte. Continue reading >>23 October 2022
Wehrhafte Hochschulen und Wissenschaftsfreiheit
Hochschulen sind keine Arena für den politischen Meinungskampf, sie sind Orte wissenschaftlicher Forschung und Lehre. Sie werden gerade als institutionelle Ankerplätze für eine vorpolitische Rationalität benötigt und müssen glaubwürdig Distanz zu allgemeinpolitischen Auseinandersetzungen halten. Um die Integrität der und das Vertrauen in die Wissenschaft zu sichern, müssen sich Hochschulen dann auch gegen diejenigen wehren, die ihre epistemische Amtsautorität missbrauchen und mit dem Anschein von Wissenschaft Falschbehauptungen, unhaltbare Spekulationen oder krude Verschwörungstheorien verbreiten. Die Hochschulen sind es der Glaubwürdigkeit von Wissenschaft schuldig. Continue reading >>22 October 2022
Britain’s Political Meltdown and its Constitutional Dimension
Britain’s political meltdown is also a constitutional meltdown – a sign of the increasing redundancy of a remarkably resilient and successful constitutional model that has seen the UK avoid the constant process of revolution and renewal that plagued other European states, at least in the 20th century. The current state of the UK’s constitutional system is unsustainable and increasingly unable to support the primary purpose of government – to actually deliver policy. Continue reading >>21 October 2022
Why a United States Supreme Court Case About Pig Farming Matters So Much
The United States Supreme Court is currently considering a case that could have major implications for animal welfare, public health, the environment, and the balance between state and federal power. The case is called National Pork Producers Council v. Ross, and the Court heard oral arguments on October 11, 2022. The case concerns whether a state has the right to ban the sale of products made in ways that harm animals and public health. Continue reading >>Playing Hide-and-seek with UK’s Parliamentary Supremacy
The ambiguous status of ‘retained EU law’ – this new category of domestic law consisting of the EU law applicable in the United Kingdom until 31 December 2020 – led the UK government to draft the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, known also as the Brexit Freedoms Bill (‘the Bill’), with the promise to align retained EU law with ‘the UK’s priorities for unlocking growth’. It is the most recent effort of the government to achieve what it has not achieved so far: to scrap the supremacy of EU law once and for all or, to put it differently, to restore the supremacy of the UK Parliament. However, rather than restoring, the government’s legislative proposal threatens the fundamental principle of the UK’s constitution. Continue reading >>
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Ein Sieg gegen Racial Profiling?
Racial Profiling, ein Thema, das die zivilgesellschaftliche Öffentlichkeit und auch den Bundestag in letzter Zeit intensiv beschäftigt und noch beschäftigen wird. Ende September noch bemängelte die Europäische Kommission gegen Rassismus und Intoleranz (ECRI), dass Deutschland den früheren Kommissionsempfehlungen, in den Polizeibehörden des Bundes und der Länder eine Studie zu Racial Profiling durchzuführen, bis heute nicht nachgekommen ist. Nun liegt auch eine richtungweisende Entscheidung des Europäischen Gerichtshofs für Menschenrechte gegen Deutschland vor: Basu/Deutschland. Continue reading >>
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Christian Schmidt’s Stabilitocracy
The High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina Christian Schmidt has imposed amendments to the Constitution of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Election Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina. By this decision, Schmidt questioned the role of the international community in Bosnia and Herzegovina – should Bosnia and Herzegovina be a democratic state or a state of ‘ethnic stabilitocracy’? Schmidt showed us that ‘ethnic stabilitocracy’ is the current aim of the international community in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Continue reading >>Towards a data-subject-friendly interpretation of Article 82 GDPR
Under the GDPR, Article 82 is the only instrument to claim compensation resulting from data protection infringements. So far, it has not been interpreted by the CJEU. To date, nine preliminary references on the interpretation of Article 82 have been made by national courts. On 6 October 2022, Advocate General Sánchez-Bordona delivered his Opinion in one of them. Since it will be the first CJEU judgment on this subject, it will have a profound impact on the further development of EU data protection law, in particular, its private enforcement. Continue reading >>20 October 2022
Erschüttertes Vertrauen
Bundesinnenministerin Nancy Faeser hat dem Präsidenten des Bundesamtes für Sicherheit in die Informationstechnik (BSI) Arne Schönbohm am 18.10.2022 die Führung der Dienstgeschäfte verboten. Vorwürfe im Zusammenhang mit dem Verein Cybersicherheitsrat Deutschland, dessen Vorsitzender Schönbohm früher war, hätten „das notwendige Vertrauen der Öffentlichkeit in die Neutralität und Unparteilichkeit der Amtsführung als Präsident der wichtigsten deutschen Cybersicherheitsbehörde nachhaltig beschädigt“. Was heißt das aus der Perspektive des Beamtenrechts? Continue reading >>Silenced, Chilled, and Jailed
As Turkey is in the process of getting ready for the general and presidential elections of June 2023, a recent legal reform has created much concern regarding freedom of expression and increased threat of online censorship in the country. Citizens have called the amendment a ‘censorship law’, while some prominent civil society organizations have voiced their concern about the law creating avenues for a dystopian crackdown when the elections are just around the corner. Continue reading >>
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Fake News, Wahrheitspflicht, Lüge
Die Befürworter von Mediengesetzen mit harten Sanktionen begründen deren Notwendigkeit damit, dass sich Desinformation zu einer „ernsthaften Bedrohung“ für den Zugang zu „wahren“ Informationen entwickelt und die Bekämpfung einer solchen „Bedrohung“ notwendig sei, um Grundrechte und Grundfreiheiten zu schützen. Die damit zusammenhängenden konstitutionellen Probleme werden dabei, unabhängig von der Schwere der Sanktionen, stark unterschätzt. Continue reading >>
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19 October 2022
EU Military Mission Is Coming Home
On 10 October 2022, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, delivered a remarkably clear speech (for a diplomat) at the EU Ambassadors Annual Conference 2022, in which he drew conclusions about the current state of the Union’s foreign policy. A few days later, on 17 October 2022, the Council for Foreign Affairs agreed on establishing the European Union Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (‘EUMAM Ukraine’). Normally, such EU military operations are carried out overseas. However, this does not seem to be the case here, raising legal questions as to whether this action has a sufficient legal basis in the EU Treaties. Continue reading >>Sex, God, and Blasphemy
Blasphemy used to be a grave offence once. Now, it is on the decline, making room for freedom of expression. Yet, two judgments of last week show that blasphemy has managed to re-enter the stage through the back door. In this blogpost, I argue that although both cases ended well, i.e. were decided in favour of freedom of expression of artists and activists, both courts erred in their assessment of the role of religion and religious sentiment in European secular democracies. Continue reading >>
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Die Unfähigkeit zu überzeugen
Scholz' Stil, die Mischung aus langem Schweigen und hervorschnappendem Bestimmen, unterscheidet sich von Merkels stiller wie von Schröders jovialer Autorität: Ein Basta in Slow Motion. Das Handeln des Bundeskanzlers hat, unabhängig davon, ob man es gut findet, einen festen Grund im Grundgesetz. Zugleich markiert es aber den Boden, nicht die Spitze bundesrepublikanischer Regierenskunst: Sie stützt sich nicht auf Kompetenzen, sondern auf Vertrauen. Continue reading >>
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18 October 2022
Digital Autonomy in Contractual Relationships
It is rare for two Advocates General of the European Court of Justice to differ on the interpretation of a fundamental legal act of the European Union. This is what recently occurred with regard to the General Data Protection Regulation. Continue reading >>A Chernobyl Case for our Times
On 10 October 2022, René Repasi, a member of the European Parliament, brought a case against the European Commission before the EU General Court. The key question of the case is procedural: Does an individual MEP have standing to claim before the Court that an EU act has been based on the wrong legal basis, if the choice of legal basis affects an MEP’s participatory rights. If Mr. Repasi succeeds, his case could significantly strengthen the Court’s role in protecting the rights of the minority in the European Parliament. It could introduce a new type of player to EU institutional legal battles – the MEP – and establish a sort of Organstreitverfahren for individual MEPs. Continue reading >>Is Taiwan a State?
Taiwan just celebrated its national day on 10 October 2022. In her speech, President Tsai Ing-wen traced the Republic of China’s resettling in Taiwan in 1949, to its democratization in the 1980s and 1990s, the latter of which transformed it into the Republic of China (Taiwan). Tsai also cautioned the People’s Republic of Chinas (the PRC) “attempts to erase the sovereignty of the Republic of China (Taiwan) have threatened the status quo of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the region.” In contrast, in its “White Paper on Taiwan Question and the Unification of China in a New Era,” the PRC reiterated its longstanding position that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and cited United Nations (UN) Resolution 2758 to advance its so-called “One China Principle” internationally. Continue reading >>
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Repasi vs Plaumann
On 10 October 2022 MEP René Repasi lodged an action for annulment against the complementary taxonomy delegated regulation 2022/1214. The same regulation is also challenged by Austria, a privileged applicant under Article 263 TFEU. This post focuses on the issue which MEP Repasi himself has noted is the most innovative of his action, namely the question whether an individual MEP has special legal standing to challenge an act (of the Commission) that affects how that MEP fulfils his parliamentary function. Continue reading >>
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17 October 2022
Die scheinbare Richtlinie
Nun also doch das Machtwort. In einem formal an die BundesministerInnen Steffi Lemke, Robert Habeck und Christian Lindner formulierten Schreiben hat der Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz öffentlich seine Entscheidung verkündet, eine gesetzliche Grundlage schaffen zu wollen, die den Leistungsbetrieb aller drei noch laufenden Atomkraftwerke bis längstens zum 15. April 2023 ermöglicht. Damit wird zugleich der bereits seit einigen Wochen zwischen Robert Habeck und Christian Lindner schwelende Streit formal durch eine Richtlinie des Bundeskanzlers entschieden – Olaf Scholz beruft sich in seinem Schreiben ausdrücklich auf § 1 der Geschäftsordnung der Bundesregierung, die, Art. 65 S. 1 GG aufnehmend, die Richtlinienkompetenz des Bundeskanzlers normiert. Aber war das in dieser Form verfassungsrechtlich überhaupt möglich? Continue reading >>Rechtsfiguren als politische Waffen
Der US Supreme Court wird von vielen nicht mehr als ein (und sei es politisiertes) Gericht angesehen, sondern als ein durch und durch politischer Akteur, dessen Agenda darin besteht, das Programm der Republikanischen Partei auf gerichtlichem und das heißt: gegenmajoritärem Wege durchzusetzen. An dieser polarisierten Grundwahrnehmung dürfte sich auch in der am 3. Oktober eröffneten neuen Sitzungsperiode nichts ändern. Im Gegenteil. Es stehen erneut Entscheidungen von großer politischer Tragweite an. Unter anderem wird das Gericht in Moore v. Harper – „the most important case for American democracy in the almost two and a half centuries since America’s founding“ – über die Anerkennung der independent state legislature theory zu entscheiden haben. Continue reading >>Kein Untergang des Rechtsstaates durch EU-Russlandsanktionen für Rechtsanwält*innen
Angesichts des russischen Angriffskriegs auf die Ukraine sehen BRAK und DAV den Rechtsstaat in Deutschland bedroht. Allerdings bedauerlicherweise nicht durch die völkerrechtswidrigen Verbrechen des russischen Regimes, sondern durch die jüngste Reaktion der EU darauf. Erstmals wird in gewissem Umfang auch die Erbringung von Rechtsdienstleistungen für bestimmte russische Mandanten verboten. Und das hat umgehend zornige Reaktionen anwaltlicher Standesvertreter ausgelöst. Continue reading >>Three misconceptions about the EU rule of law crisis
There are three major academic and political misconceptions concerning the EU rule of law crisis. The first mistake is already in the denomination, as the name ‘rule of law crisis’ is actually misleading, the second is to believe that ‘the EU does not have the necessary legal tools’, and the third is to conceive it as a ‘crisis only in the Member States affected’. These misconceptions make the crisis look narrower and less threatening than what it actually is, while also offering excuses for inaction. Continue reading >>
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16 October 2022
Krisenresiliente Verteilungsgerechtigkeit
Die ExpertInnen-Kommission Gas und Wärme hat auf Wunsch der Bundesregierung am 10. Oktober ihre Vorschläge für die zentralen Elemente einer deutschen Gaspreisbreme vorgelegt. Der Vorschlag der Kommission und die Debatten darüber zeigen damit einmal mehr, dass die Energiekrise Fragen der Verteilungsgerechtigkeit aufwirft, für die der Staat in seiner Funktion als Sozialstaat Antworten zu formulieren hat. Dies gelingt ihm derzeit nur bedingt, da die krisentypische Notwendigkeit eines schnellen Handelns die dringend gebotenen Debatten zu Lasten der Verteilungsgerechtigkeit verkürzt oder verhindert. Continue reading >>
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14 October 2022
Diachrone Verantwortung statt „schuldig gesprochener Vergangenheit“
Diese Woche druckte die Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung einen Text des emeritierten Alt-Historikers Egon Flaig ab. Unter dem Titel „Schuldig gesprochene Vergangenheit“ versucht sich der Autor an einer Dekonstruktion der „postkolonialen Debatte“ und wirft dafür sämtliche Gewalttaten der Menschheitsgeschichte zusammen. Die Anliegen postkolonialer Debatten seien „absurd“ und “historische Gerechtigkeit“ ein „Unbegriff, ein Nonsense-Postulat“. Dass solch oberflächliche und reißerische Diskreditierung sämtlicher postkolonialer Ansätze in den Rechtswissenschaften nicht verfängt, ist ein Anliegen dieser Replik. Continue reading >>A Second Scottish Independence Referendum in the UK Supreme Court
On October 11 and 12 an important case was argued in the UK Supreme Court over whether the Scottish Parliament has the competence to enact an independence referendum Bill. The Lord Advocate, Dorothy Bain KC, the principle Law Officer for the Scottish Government, brought a reference to the Supreme Court under the Scotland Act 1998 Schedule 6 paragraph 34. Even though the prospects for the case are unencouraging, an independence referendum is only one limb of the Scottish Government’s planned strategy for independence. Continue reading >>The Mar Menor Lagoon Enjoys Legal Standing: and now, what?
On 30th September, the Spanish Parliament has completed the ‘Mar Menor Act’, granting legal personality to the lagoon of the Mar Menor and its basin. It is the first legal text in Europe which gives rights and legal standing to a natural body. Notably, the process was initiated by a public campaign triggering the legislative procedure. As legal scholars, we fear that this move, although it constitutes a strong expression of ecological awareness, will not solve the lagoon’s serious environmental deterioration. Continue reading >>Eine Laudatio, ein Schnitt und ein bedauerlicher Fehler
Bei der Aufbereitung des Videomaterials einer Preisverleihung ist dem ZDF nach eigenen Angaben ein „bedauerlicher Fehler“ unterlaufen, der mittlerweile beseitigt wurde. Seitdem sieht sich der Sender dem schwerwiegenden Vorwurf ausgesetzt, Zensur betrieben zu haben. Continue reading >>
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13 October 2022
Waiting for Godot
The words of the President of the European Commission during her keynote speech at Princeton University on 22 September have caused quite a stir. Responding to a question about the (then) upcoming elections and the prospect of a right-wing government comprising members related to Putin, Ursula von der Leyen (VDL) surprised everyone with a reference to the well-known situations in Hungary and Poland. Now that the formation of a new Italian government is well underway, this contribution reconsiders the fears fueled by VDL’s statements in light of the past and current context to draw some more general conclusions on the institution’s duty to respect and promote the EU’s founding values. Continue reading >>
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‘You are not alone’
For those who read last week’s news in constitutional justice, it would have been easy to miss the Fifth Congress of the World Conference on Constitutional Justice (WCCJ) on the theme ‘Constitutional Justice and Peace’ that was organized in Indonesia five years after the previous edition held in Lithuania. While featured on the Venice Commission’s website, the Congress was no prominent news in constitutionalist platforms, despite bringing together judges from 94 countries, many of whom are prominent academics in their respective jurisdictions, or even internationally. As this congress shows, constitutional courts can engage with academics, and are well positioned to do so, given they often contain judges with academic careers and experience. Such engagement might empower both institutions to respond to global autocratization more effectively. Continue reading >>The Cardinal vs. the Theater
On 11 October 2022, the Czech Constitutional Court published its eagerly-awaited judgment resolving the conflict between religious belief and freedom of artistic expression. The case was initiated by a constitutional complaint of the head of the Czech Roman Catholic Church, Archbishop of Prague, Cardinal Dominik Duka. The complainants alleged that a theater‘s allegorical plays which mocked the catholic church and their belief were blasphemous and violated their constitutional rights, in particular a freedom of religion. Continue reading >>
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12 October 2022
Corrupting the Anti-Corruption Program
In this blogpost, we’ll analyze the Anti-Corruption Task Force, sometimes translated as the Anti-Corruption Working Group. This is another institutional innovation that the Hungarian government proposes to establish in order to transform a kleptocracy into an accountable government. Like the Integrity Authority, the Anti-Corruption Task Force also looks like it might be a good idea on first glance but its significance dissolves on closer analysis. The Task Force is structured like hens trying to organize a safety plan when the local foxes have packed the meeting and dominate the discussion. Continue reading >>
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Evolution and Mutation in the EU’s DNA
In order to get rid of “classical” border controls between Member States, the EU Commission is trying to incentivise Schengen States to substitute them with so called “alternative measures”, for example the enforced use of police powers and monitoring and surveillance technologies. These technologies and their impacts confront us with the question what it means to move “freely” within an area of freedom, security and justice without internal frontiers. Continue reading >>
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Digitale Autonomie in Vertragsbeziehungen
Es kommt selten vor, dass zwischen zwei Generalanwälten des Europäischen Gerichtshofs bei der Interpretation eines grundlegenden Rechtsakts der Europäischen Union grundsätzliche Deutungsunterschiede aufbrechen. Dies ist dieser Tage hinsichtlich der Datenschutz-Grundverordnung geschehen. Continue reading >>
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Letting Human Rights Wait in Syrian Camps
Recently, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights handed down its decision about the repatriation of Daesh-involved family members of French citizens. The judgment has been widely commented on in the French and international press. The overall impression that emerged was that of a victory for the applicants and a clear denunciation of French policy regarding the general non-repatriation of French children and their mothers encamped in north-eastern Syria. Reality is, however, very different. In fact, the Court’s decision is very measured. In many respects, it does (too) little and comes (too) late. Continue reading >>
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11 October 2022
“Woman. Life. Freedom” and the Fate of Iran’s Constitutional Order
Streets of Tehran and other cities from Kurdistan to Zahedan are the scenes of unprecedented protests in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran for its fourth consecutive week. The protests initially erupted when Mahsa (Zhina) Amini, a 22-year-old woman who was arrested by Morality Police in Tehran for what the government alleged to be improper hijab, shortly died in police custody. Her death was the latest and most tragic story of countless women whose bodies are policed and are subject to the state’s ideological homogenization on a daily basis. Continue reading >>
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IOC adds Human Rights Punch to the Lex Olympica
On 9 September 2022, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) published its long-awaited “Strategic Framework on Human Rights”. The new Framework presents an overarching approach as well as concrete action plans for the IOC to address their human rights risks. This blogpost highlights both the potential of the Framework to change the way the IOC operates and the Olympics are organised and the many unknowns remaining regarding its actual transformative impact and concrete implementation in practice. Continue reading >>
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From Marginalization to Reproductive Justice
On 29th September 2022, a three-judge bench of the Indian Supreme Court passed its final order in a petition concerning the right to abortion for unmarried women. In a major progress for reproductive justice in India, the court decided in favour of unmarried women and recognized their equal right to access abortion. If followed, this judgment can potentially expand the wider access to sexual and reproductive health services for a range of groups. This marks a clear divide from previous approaches of the Supreme Court towards sexual and reproductive health. Continue reading >>
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10 October 2022
Neurechte Verfassungskatholiken
Viel wird über das Verhältnis der Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) zur grundgesetzlichen Ordnung geschrieben und gestritten. Es geht dabei um nicht weniger als die Frage, ob die AfD zumindest potenziell und zumindest teilweise verfassungsfeindlich sei. Die Partei selbst inszeniert sich dagegen mittlerweile offensiv, wie Maximilian Steinbeis kürzlich in seinem Editorial schrieb, „als die glühendsten Grundgesetz-Fans […], die die Republik je gesehen hat.“ Sie hat dafür sogar eine eigene „Initiative“ mit dem Titel „Gemeinsam für das Grundgesetz“ gestartet. Continue reading >>07 October 2022
Cutting the Gordian Knot in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Just after the polling stations on October 2, 2022, in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) had closed, High Representative Christian Schmidt dropped a bombshell when he imposed changes to the Election Law of BiH as well as 21 amendments to the Constitution of the Federation of BiH. It was the second decision of the High Representative regarding this year’s elections in BiH. Their recent impact to change the BiH Election Law on the evening of the elections as well as constitutional amendments raises the question of the sustainability of this complex post-conflict arrangement in BiH. Was the quick fix by the High Representative necessary, useful and justified? Continue reading >>
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How to Prevent Blockage of Judicial Appointments
Deadlock is a familiar phenomenon when it comes to the election of constitutional court or other apex court members. Currently, several appointments for the Spanish Constitutional Tribunal, inter alia, are blocked by a deadlocked General Council of the Judiciary. In many jurisdictions, rules are in place which aim to prevent at least some of these adversities. There is, however, a problem with these solutions. Continue reading >>1.3 Billionen Euro Kriegsreparationen an Polen
Die polnische Regierung fordert Reparationen von Deutschland zur Wiedergutmachung der Kriegsschäden des Zweiten Weltkriegs. Mal wieder. Doch dieses Mal scheint es der polnischen Regierung ernster als bisher. Ausdruck davon ist die Formalisierung der Forderungen in einer diplomatischen Note, die dieser Tage das deutsche Außenministerium erreichen soll. Das erneute Aufbringen der Thematik beruht auch auf einem dreibändigen Gutachten, in welchem die Schäden auf €1,352,483 Millionen Euro taxiert werden. Continue reading >>06 October 2022
Auto fahren oder Klima retten?
Vor dem Amtsgericht Berlin-Tiergarten finden zurzeit Prozesse gegen Aktivist:innen von Letzte Generation statt. Diese hatten sich an verschiedenen Straßen in Berlin festgeklebt, um auf die unzureichenden Klimaschutzmaßnahmen aufmerksam zu machen (die BZ prägte deshalb auch den Begriff „Klima-Kleber“). Dadurch kam es teilweise zu Straßensperren und Staus. Die jüngst ergangenen Urteile werfen die Frage nach den strafrechtlichen Grenzen von zivilem Widerstand bzw. Ungehorsam auf: Kann Klimaschutz ein strafrechtlicher Rechtfertigungsgrund sein? Continue reading >>How NOT to Be an Independent Agency
The Hungarian government is trying to convince EU institutions that it is taking adequate steps to ensure proper spending of EU funds going forward. At the center of this effort is a new ‘Integrity Authority’. The law establishing this authority, Bill T/1260, just passed the Hungarian Parliament on 3 October 2022. We have carefully read the laws enacted so far that establish a new anti-corruption framework and can confidently say that neither the Commission nor the Council should accept what the Hungarian government is offering because the proposed changes do not begin to alter business as usual in Hungary. In this blogpost, we will analyze the ‘Integrity Authority’ which forms the centerpiece of the government’s program, showing that it is not independent from the government nor are its powers real. Continue reading >>
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