The European Convention on Human Rights at 75: Transnational Perspectives and Global Interaction Archives

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The European Convention on Human Rights at 75: Transnational Perspectives and Global Interaction

On its 75th anniversary, the European Convention on Human Rights faces profound challenges. Yet, the jurisprudence of the Strasbourg Court resonates globally – it influences the International Court of Justice, inspires (and interacts with) its Inter-American and African counterparts, and informs debates on climate change, migration, and artificial intelligence. Drawing from the conference ‘The European Convention on Human Rights at 75: Transnational Perspectives and Global Interaction’ (Berlin, 9 October 2025), convened by the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection and the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law, this blog symposium explores the role of the ECHR as a beacon for human dignity in times of crisis and change.

05 December 2025

Armin von Bogdandy

The ECHR’s Contribution to European Society

On the Convention’s 75th anniversary, this essay highlights its contribution to “European society” as stated in Article 2 TEU. It sketches how the Convention, as operationalized by the Strasbourg institutions, has shaped European society’s constitutional core, provided a general structure of rights, supported a culture of justification, and contributed to making European society democratic. Finally, it speculates on how the Convention’s significance might evolve so that it can be celebrated again at its 100th anniversary.

Nancy Hernández López

Leading Through Dialogue

The ECtHR’s next decades will be shaped by its capacity to lead through dialogue rather than dominance. The goal is not a universal model, but a network of courts engaged in reciprocal learning. The 75th anniversary coincides with unprecedented global challenges – climate change, digital governance, mass displacement – that no regional system can tackle alone. Coordinated jurisprudential development, joint thematic reports, and open-access repositories of case law can enhance coherence without sacrificing diversity.

Alexandra Kemmerer, Nicola Wenzel