JSI Seminar: On Constitutional Review

In-person event

Constitutional review is a continental European instrument of checking the parliamentary legislation for its compliance with the constitution. This practice has a long history traced from ancient Greek democracy to the French and American Revolutions up to the 20th century culminating in Constitutional Courts. The Czechoslovakian experience of its Constitution of 1920 gives a unique perspective on the rule of law and the perennial questions of constitutional review: who should be the guardian of the Constitution? In its contemporary form, this question has become whether the doctrine of the sovereignty of the parliament is a serious obstacle for a too strong (dominant) role of the judiciary the Large scale of competences of the Constitutional courts (except constitutional review). The talk concludes by discussing possible solutions without Constitutional Courts.

About the speaker

Alexander Bröstl is a Professor of Legal Philosophy in Slovakia. He was formerly a Judge on and later advisor to the Constitutional Court of the Slovak Republic, as well as a member of the Judicial Council. His career has included positions at Fudan University in Shanghai, and then Slovakian Consul in Beijing. Alexander next spent 18 years in Strasbourg as the Slovak member of the European Charter on Minority Languages. In addition, he has been professor of law at the PJ Šafárik University and University of Trnava, and held several high level administrative positions.

Thursday 23 May 2024, 6-7.30pm AEST

Venue: Level 4, Common Room, New Law Building (F10), Eastern Avenue, Camperdown campus

CPD Points: 1.5

This event is proudly presented by the Julius Stone Institute of Jurisprudence at The University of Sydney Law School.