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Constitutional Court. 1. Models of Constitutional Adjudication. 1.1. History The most important means of defence of the Constitution, BUT after constitutional State English absolute parlamentary sovereignty: NOT French democracy-conception: only Conseil Const.
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1. Models of Constitutional Adjudication 1.1. History The most important means of defence of the Constitution, BUT after constitutional State • English absolute parlamentary sovereignty: NOT • French democracy-conception: only Conseil Const. • Firstly: American checks and balances – The Federalist (1788), Marbury v. Madison (1803)
1.2. Decentralized (American) model • US, Scandinavian, Swiss, Estonian 1.3. Centralized (European) model • (1920), Germany, Spain, Portugal, post-communist countries • Special: French Const. Council, UK Human Rights Act (1998)
2. Establishment of Hungarian Constitutional Court • German model, BUT - mainly abstract norm-control + actio popularis - restricted constitutional complaint • Is the Hungarian Constitutional Court „the most powerful” in the world?
2.1. Organization • one or more chambers? • number of judges: 5, 10, (15), 11 • nomination, election, re-election • plenary session, councils of three judges
2.2. Procedure - rules of procedure (own vs. parlamentary standing orders) • restriction to motion – order 42/1998 AB • procedure ex officio • presidential authority - signing • contradictorial procedure
3. Jurisdiction 3.1. Abstract norm-control 3.1.1. Preliminary norm-control - inquiry of bills (50 MPs, committee) - DECISION 16/1991 AB – self-restraint control before final voting - DECISION 50/1997 AB abolishment of inquiry of bills – DECISION 66/1997 AB - stay: preliminary review of standing orders of the Parliament + international treaties - constitutional veto of the President of the Republic
3.1.2. Subsequent norm-control - everybody – actio popularis - against legal norms (except Constitution) + international treaties (DECISION 4/1997 AB) - annulment: ex nunc, ex tunc, pro futuro + „temporary measures” (Bokros-packet) 3.1.3. Concrete norm-control - judicial initiation - suspension of the procedure - annulment or prohibition of implementation
3.2. Constitutional complaint • conditions • Doctrine of „living law” (DECISION 57/1991 AB) vs. constitutional requirement (DECISION 38/1993 AB) • Szivárvány case (DECISION 21/1996 AB) • complaint as appeal (DECISION 23/1998 AB) • Act XLV of 1999 – new trial, decision of superior administrative authority
3.3. Constitutional ommission • actio popularis • conditions: ommission of legislative duty + violation of Constitution • lack of sanction; annulment of inadequate regulation 3.4. Abstract constitutional interpretation • initiators • no „advisory opinion” (DECISION 31/1990 AB, DECISION 52/1997 AB)
4. Epilog: activism of competence and „authority-formation” • Whether is moral interpretation possible in questions of procedure? (Tóth Gábor Attila) • „authority-formation” of the Constitutional Court: „living law”, „constitutional requirement”, „temporary measures” (Sólyom László) + international treaties, referendum