Anna Gamper

Regeln der Verfassungsinterpretation

Aufbauend auf einem internationalen Vergleich aller geschriebenen, das hei t im Verfassungsrecht verankerten Interpretationsregeln, diskutiert die Autorin das Fehlen dieser Interpretationsregeln in der sterreichischen Bundesverfassung, leitet die ungeschriebenen Regeln ab und analysiert ihre Anwendung anhand der verfassungsgerichtlichen Judikatur. Abschlie end wird die Bedeutung dieser Regeln er rtert und der Versuch unternommen, daraus Ans tze f r einen praktisch anwendbaren Theorierahmen der Verfassungsinterpretation zu entwickeln.

Foreign Precedents in Austrian Constitutional Litigation

Abstract This paper analyzes the Austrian Constitutional Court’s use of foreign precedents in the Court’s own case law. As the survey shows, the Austrian Constitutional Court is still reluctant to use foreign precedents, even though there has been a slight increase of cases dealing with foreign case law over the last decade. Among the various reasons for this attitude, the Court’s methodology deriving from legal positivism as well as the doctrine of self-containedness of Austrian constitutional law have been most important. Quite conversely, the same Court strongly engages in the ‘dialogue’ with European courts and has for a long time used to cite case law of both the ECtHR and the ECJ. Still, and with good reasons, the Court is far from becoming a radically cosmopolitan court.

Representing Regions, Challenging Bicameralism: An Introduction

Abstract This special issue publishes a number of conference papers presented at the conference ‘Representing Regions, Challenging Bicameralism’ that took place on 22 and 23 March 2018 at the University of Innsbruck, Austria. In this issue, the developments of European bicameral parliaments in (quasi-)federal states are dealt with as well as the political impact of shared rule and alternative models to second chambers. Several papers compare the organizational and functional design of territorial second chambers. Finally, closer examination is given to the EU’s Committee of Regions and the second chambers in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Switzerland and the UK.

Legislative Functions of Second Chambers in Federal Systems

Abstract Legislative functions of federal second chambers are not a homogeneous set of powers, but require comparison and classification. First, the paper will examine the legislative functions of the second chambers of those European states that have a federal or quasifederal character (Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom). Second, the paper addresses the normative concept of the legislative functions of federal second chambers: what is the particularly federal rationale behind these legislative powers, and are there other constitutional rationales as well? Do some legislative functions serve purposes of federalism better than others and does a dichotomy between ‘weak-form’ and ‘strong-form’ veto powers apply in this context? This will also require some discussion on whether perfect or imperfect bicameralism and the requirements of internal decision-making play a role in this regard.

Federalism and Legal Unification in Austria

Due to the strong centralizing character of Austrian federalism, the degree of unification of laws is particularly high. While the component states (the Lander) retain a residual competence under the Federal Constitution, a vast majority of competences is expressly allocated to the federal level. Little is left for the Lander to legislate, sometimes even restricted by a concurrent federal competence for framework legislation. The Lander are ineffectively represented in the federal legislature, even though the informal conference of Land Governors has much political influence at the federal level. Unification is further driven by EU law, which requires homogeneous implementation and thus increases the need for internal cooperation (a long-established characteristic of Austrian federalism). In constitutional terms, cooperation becomes particularly manifest in the formal agreements concluded between the federation and the Lander or among the Lander themselves, and which reconcile the fragmented distribution of competences with the aim to enact harmonized legislation. A reform of the distribution of competences as well as of the federal second chamber has been discussed intensely in recent years.

Zur verfassungsstaatlichen Rolle des regionalen Ombudsmans in Europa

Ombudsförmige Institutionen haben sich mittlerweile in allen europäischen Staaten als besonders bürgernahe Einrichtungen des Rechtsschutzes etabliert. In jüngster Zeit ist eine Entwicklung sowohl hin zu einer fachlichen als auch territorialen Ausdifferenzierung zu beobachten, die sich in letzterem Fall in der Einrichtung regionaler Ombudsstellen niederschlägt. Regionale Ombudseinrichtungen variieren teilweise stark, kommen aber letztlich allen Prinzipien des Verfassungsstaats zugute, sofern ihre parlamentarische Zuordnung, Unabhängigkeit und gewaltenteilende Funktionalität beachtet werden.

On the Road to Constitutionalism: “Publius” and a Continental European Searchlight

This is the dramatic beginning of the first of the series of 85 political essays, addressed to the People of the State of New York, written under the pseudonym of “Publius,” since known as “Federalist Papers.” Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay were the “Federalists” that wrote the papers in 1787/88 to win over New York-a state that had still not ratified the new Constitution. Ratification by New York was felt to be essential to the political success of the new federal republic, and it is not the least owing to the “Federalists” commitment that the “antifederal” movement, which strove for a confederal solution, was countervailed (Schmidt 110; Mc Williams 482ff.).