Applying old tools to new challenges: The necessary adaptation of the French and ECtHR judges to emergency as a new paradigm of government
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35295/osls.iisl.1891Keywords:
Emergency, judicial review, ECHR, France, emergencia, revisión judicial, TEDH, FranciaAbstract
As states of emergency are becoming increasingly pervasive, courts can no longer rely on deferential approaches based on the assumption that emergencies are exceptional and temporary. This article investigates two mechanisms of judicial review in the case law of the ECtHR, French Constitutional Council and Council of State. The first mechanism is the review of the existence of the circumstances justifying the exceptional powers and restrictions on human rights. The second is the misuse of power or détournement de pouvoir doctrine. The article argues that both these elements of judicial review are under exploited while presenting the advantage of being readily available – therefore requiring no judicial creation – and offering strong bases to curb abuses of emergency powers. Examined at two different levels, national and regional, these two lines of reasoning, if deployed appropriately, might inspire further jurisdictions faced with similar emergency challenges.
A medida que los estados de excepción se están volviendo cada vez más frecuentes, los tribunales ya no pueden confiar en enfoques deferentes basados en el supuesto de que las situaciones de excepción son excepcionales y temporales. Este artículo investiga dos mecanismos de revisión judicial en la jurisprudencia del TEDH, el Consejo Constitucional francés y el Consejo de Estado. El primer mecanismo es la revisión de la existencia de las circunstancias que justifican los poderes excepcionales y las restricciones a los derechos humanos. El segundo es la doctrina del abuso de poder o détournement de pouvoir. El artículo sostiene que esos dos elementos de la revisión judicial están infrautilizados, al tiempo que presentan la ventaja de estar fácilmente disponibles -por lo que no requieren creación judicial- y ofrecen bases sólidas para frenar los abusos de los poderes de excepción. Examinadas en dos niveles diferentes, nacional y regional, estas dos líneas de razonamiento, si se utilizan adecuadamente, podrían inspirar a otras jurisdicciones que se enfrentan a retos de emergencia similares.
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