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. - 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 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

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) 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

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