The European Yearbook of Constitutional Law (EYCL) is an annual publication devoted to the study of constitutional law. It aims to provide a forum for in-depth analysis and discussion of new developments in the field, both in Europe and beyond. This second volume examines the constitutional positioning of cities across space and time. Unrelenting urbanisation means that most people are, or soon will be, living in cities and that city administrations become, in many respects, their quintessential governing units. Cities are places where State power is operationalised and concretised; where laws and government policies transform from parchment objectives to practical realities. In a similar vein, cities are also places for the realisation of the constitutional rights and liberties enjoyed by individuals.
The book is organised around three sets of relations that await further unpacking in theory as well as practice: that between cities and other institutions in the national constitutional architecture; that between cities and their inhabitants; and that between cities and international organisations. The contributions to this book show the marked diversity in the role and powers available to cities in Europe and beyond, and identify principles and approaches to help stipulate new ways of thinking about the legal role and relevance of cities going forward.
Ernst Hirsch Ballin is distinguished university professor at Tilburg University and vice-dean for research of Tilburg Law School. Gerhard van der Schyff is associate professor at Tilburg Law School, Department of Public Law and Governance. Maarten Stremler is lecturer at Maastricht University, Faculty of Law, Department of Public Law. Maartje De Visser is associate professor at SMU School of Law, Singapore.
Author(s): Ernst Hirsch Ballin, Gerhard van der Schyff, Maarten Stremler, Maartje De Visser
Publisher: T.M.C. Asser Press
Year: 2021
Language: English
Pages: 282
City: Berlin
Editorial Board
Preface
Contents
Editors and Contributors
1 Introduction: Mapping the Emerging Field of Constitutional Advice
1.1 Constitutional Advice as an Underexplored Scholarly Field
1.2 Analytical Remarks on the Study of Constitutional Advice
1.3 The Challenge of Constitutional Advice: Reckoning with Ubiquity?
References
2 Some Advice on Constitutional Advice
2.1 Introduction
2.2 What Do Outsiders Know Anyway?
2.3 The Drafting Situation
2.4 Regulation and Institutions
2.5 Boilerplate? The Third Amendment in Micronesia
2.6 Nothing New Under the Sun
References
3 Do We Need Constitutional Advice? Denmark—The Story of a Self-Sufficient Political System
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Nordic Constitutionalism—A Preference for the Legislature
3.2.1 Scandinavian Legal Realism, Ross and Constitutional Jurisprudence
3.2.2 Scepticism Towards the Courts—The Danish Discussions on Judicial Review
3.3 Constitutional Advice in Denmark
3.3.1 The Nordic Setting
3.3.2 The Legal Department of the Ministry of Justice
3.3.3 Committees with Stakeholders in the Pre-legislative Work
3.3.4 The Role of the National Human Rights Institution
3.3.5 Expert Hearings and Discussions in Parliament
3.4 Current Political Environment—Triggering Factors
3.5 Discussion
3.5.1 Insignificant Constitutional Advice
3.5.2 Possible Change of Attitude?
3.5.3 Denmark—A Nordic Outsider
3.5.4 Conclusion
References
4 Constitutional Advice and Signals in the Netherlands: Actors and Impact
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Political and International Attention and the Need for Constitutional Advice
4.3 Object and Rationale of Constitutional Advice and Scrutiny Test
4.3.1 Advice and Review: Constitutional Review in the Netherlands in Short
4.4 Actors on Constitutional Advice and the Different Nature of Advice
4.4.1 Internal Governmental Constitutional Advice and Assessment
4.4.2 High Councils of State
4.4.3 Netherlands Human Rights Institute
4.4.4 Legal-Based Permanent Specialized Commissions
4.4.5 State Commissions and Other Ad Hoc (Constitutional) Advisory Commissions
4.5 International and European Constitutional Advice
4.5.1 European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission)
4.5.2 EU Fundamental Rights Agency
4.6 Focus: Advice on the Undesirable Foreign Funding of Organisations and on the Rule of Law
4.6.1 Constitutional Advice Regarding Undesirable Foreign Funding of Organisations
4.6.2 Rule of Law and State Powers
4.7 Impact and Effectiveness of Constitutional Advice Evaluated
4.8 Conclusion
References
5 The Council of State of Belgium: Advising the Political Branches, and the Constitutional Court
5.1 Introduction
5.1.1 The Legislation Section of the Council of State
5.1.2 Relation with the Constitutional Court
5.2 Scope of the Analysis
5.3 Findings
5.3.1 No Advisory Opinions
5.3.2 Irrelevant Advisory Opinions
5.3.3 Relevant Advisory Opinions
5.4 Conclusions
References
6 Advising on Constitutional Matters in a Mixed Legal System: The Example of Cyprus
6.1 Introduction
6.2 The Idiomorphic Constitution of Cyprus
6.3 The Cypriot Advisory Model
6.3.1 The Attorney General: Multiplicity of Roles and Overarching Competences
6.3.2 The Advisory Role of the Attorney General
6.3.3 The Cypriot Law Commissioner
6.4 The Greek Advisory Model
6.4.1 The Legal Council of the State: Origins and Main Competences
6.4.2 The Advisory Role of the Legal Council of the State
6.4.3 Other Advisory Procedures
6.5 Reform?
References
7 Understanding the Dilemma of Constitutional Advice in Transitional Societies: A Comparative Analysis of Ghana and Colombia
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Constitutional Advice in Transitional Justice Contexts
7.2.1 Constitution-Making Processes and Transitional Justice
7.2.2 Constitutional Advice and Transitional Justice
7.3 Constitutional Advice Under Ghana’s 1992 Transition to Democracy
7.3.1 The National Commission on Democracy
7.3.2 The Committee of Experts and the Consultative Assembly
7.3.3 The National Reconciliation Commission
7.4 Constitutional Advice and Transitional Justice Mechanisms in the Framework of Colombia’s 1991 Permanent Constitution
7.4.1 The Legal Framework for Peace
7.4.2 The Integral System for Truth, Justice, Reparation and Non-Repetition
7.5 Constitutional Advice in the Ghanaian and Colombian Contexts: The Need for Coordination and Recognition of Non-Formal Constitutional Advisers
7.6 Conclusion
References
8 Openness of Constitutional Review: A Comparative Analysis of How Transparency is Ensured in Ex Ante Constitutional Review
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Transparency of Ex Ante Constitutional Review: Arguments For and Against
8.3 Analysis of the Transparency of Ex Ante Constitutional Review in Different Legal Systems
8.3.1 Finland
8.3.2 Sweden
8.3.3 France
8.4 Analysis
8.5 Conclusions
References
9 Constitutional Reasoning There and Back Again: The Facebook Oversight Board as a Source of Transnational Constitutional Advice
9.1 Introduction
9.2 The Misty Mountains: Freedom of Expression and the Facebook Oversight Board
9.3 Constitutionalism’s Charted Path: The Board as an Adjudicator
9.4 A Road Less Travelled: The Metaphor of the Constitutional Advice-Giver
9.4.1 Constitutional Advice as a Framing Device
9.4.2 Normative Frames of Constitutional Advice Based on Freedom of Expression
9.5 Back Again: Situating Constitutional Advice and the Oversight Board in the Field of Digital Constitutionalism
9.6 Conclusion
References
10 Advisory Opinions of the Dutch Council of State as Contributions to a Constitutional Dialogue
10.1 Introduction
10.2 Advisory Opinions of the Council of State
10.2.1 Composition
10.2.2 The Council of State’s Role in the Legislative Procedure
10.2.3 Consequences of the Ban on Constitutional Review
10.2.4 To Sum Things Up
10.3 Kinship Between the Council’s Counselling and a Court’s Constitutional Adjudication
10.3.1 A Working Definition of a Constitutional Dialogue
10.3.2 Usefulness of Dialogue Theories as a Frame of Reference for the Council of State
10.3.3 The Powers of Persuasion
10.4 Strategies Derived from the Dialogue Metaphor
10.4.1 Embrace Equivalence
10.4.2 Be as Constructive as Possible
10.4.3 Invest in Persuasiveness
10.4.4 The Legislature’s Precedents Matter
10.4.5 Premature Proposals Are to Be Treated Differently than Semi-definitive Bills
10.4.6 Strive for Consistency
10.5 Concluding Remarks
References
11 Courts as Consiglieri: Advisory Opinions in a Comparative Constitutional Perspective
11.1 Introduction
11.2 Demarcating Advisory Opinions and Judicial Advice
11.2.1 Defining Advisory Opinions
11.2.2 The Non-binding Thesis
11.2.3 The Abstract Review Thesis
11.2.4 Towards a Functional Approach
11.3 Conceptualizing Judicial Advice: Functions, Types and Modes
11.3.1 Functions and Types of Judicial Advice
11.3.2 Modes of Advice
11.4 The Legitimacy of Judicial Advice-giving
11.4.1 Three Narratives
11.4.2 Constitutional Concerns
11.5 Connecting the Dots: Towards a Contextual Approach
References
