Rebooting the constitutional debate: deliberative constitutionalism in the European Union

The aim of my thesis is to investigate the possibility and necessity to rethink a constitutional framework and debate in a transnational polity such as the European Union. My effort focuses on a promising theory called deliberative constitutionalism, which carries on new insights on how democracy and constitutions relate each other. The EU is a unique political entity which poses unanswered questions about its political legitimacy and constitutional foundation, if a Constitution will ever be possible. Going beyond the classical conception of the national and sovereign ���people���, we keep wondering how citizens may deliberate and discuss about their rights and political communities across borders, in what could be defined as a transnational civic society. The development of the latter brings with it necessary constitutional changes, if not an evolution of constitutionalism itself. Chapter 1 deals with defining the theoretical framework, which develops the distinctiveness of the deliberative constitutional paradigm not only with respect to other more 'classical' models of democracy, but also with respect to other deliberative models that have marked the constructivist debate. Chapter 2 presents a conceptual history of constituent power, mainly studying the evolution of the constitution-sovereignty-constituent power dialectic, up to contemporary theories that explain the negation, separation, union or plurality of a transnational constituent with respect to its national counterparts. Chapter 3 develops the discourse of constitutional pluralism, through its main claims and strands that especially pertain to Neil Walker's (2002, 2016) institutional and epistemic claims. Chapter 4 applies a deliberative constitutionalist framework to the case of the European Union. Through the exposition of DC normative tenets, a form of self-learning process is proposed that can reconcile the heterarchical arrangement of constitutional claims and the new demand for legitimacy, as well as the relationship between European peoples and European citizens.

Brasil e brasileiros: notas sobre modelagem de significados pol��ticos na crise do Antigo Regime portugu��s na Am��rica

Partindo da an��lise do significado pol��tico de Brasil e de brasileiro em documentos escritos por colonos em meados dos setecentos, o artigo aponta para a import��ncia anal��tica do car��ter desviante de variantes americanas da matriz societ��ria portuguesa de tipo Ancien R��gime. Trabalhando com os conceitos de mem��ria e experi��ncia, sustenta-se nele a id��ia de que, por se tornarem assim��tricas, as estruturas nacionais portuguesas dos dois hemisf��rios tamb��m se tornaram irredut��veis a um mesmo enquadramento constitucional quando da instaura����o da conjuntura revolucion��ria do final dos anos vinte do s��culo XIX.

Souverainet��, d��mocratie et gouvernance mondiale chez David Held : le probl��me de la d��mocratie au-del�� de l�����tat national

Dans le contexte de la mondialisation contemporaine, le d��veloppement d���une structure de gouvernance �� plusieurs niveaux nous oblige �� revoir notre compr��hension de la souverainet�� de l�����tat et de l���exercice de la d��mocratie. Notre objectif consiste �� pr��senter la pens��e de David Held au sujet des cons��quences de ces transformations de la gouvernance politique sur la th��orie d��mocratique. Dans un premier temps, nous analyserons les cons��quences de l���att��nuation de la souverainet�� de l�����tat, dor��navant partag��e avec diverses organisations supranationales, sur la th��orie de l�����tat d��mocratique moderne. Nous verrons comment Held r��pond au d��ficit d��mocratique constat�� au sein de ces organisations, en adaptant le principe de subsidiarit�� au syst��me de gouvernance multicouche ��mergeant, et ce, afin de r��tablir la congruence entre les d��cideurs et les destinataires de leurs d��cisions, caract��ristique de l���activit�� (lib��rale) d��mocratique. Dans un deuxi��me temps, nous pr��senterons les fondements normatifs du mod��le th��orique qu���il pr��conise pour assurer la d��mocratisation de ce nouveau syst��me de gouvernance. Nous verrons pourquoi, selon Held, la poursuite de l���id��al d��mocratique exige aujourd���hui la mise en oeuvre d���une vari��t�� de droits, inspir��s des valeurs sociales-d��mocrates, qu���il faut ench��sser dans le cadre constitutionnel de toutes les institutions de gouvernance du monde contemporain. De plus, nous d��gagerons les objectifs institutionnels qu���il faut atteindre afin de parvenir �� la r��alisation d���une social-d��mocratie mondiale. Nous conclurons avec une br��ve analyse critique de son interpr��tation du principe de subsidiarit�� et de son approche ���du haut vers le bas��� (top-down) des processus conduisant �� la d��mocratisation des institutions supranationales.

The Brazilian Zero Hunger social program implications in achieving sustainable development

This article aims to analyse the progress taken by Brazil towards the accomplishment of a sustainable development, mainly highlighting the success of the Zero Hunger social programme in achieving the elimination of starvation. As one of the essential pillars to the sustainable development, the State���s social performance demands actions directed to the elimination of extreme poverty and hunger, establishing a basis for equitable growth. It is necessary to clarify the juridical and constitutional framework of Brazil, aiming to emphasise the Zero Hunger importance in achieving the Brazilian Republic���s goals and reaching an international pattern on sustainable development. Also, it will be stressed that the international order influences Brazilian domestic law and is one of the main aspects for the Zero Hunger program development.

La reafirmaci��n de los recursos administrativos como requisito de procedibilidad en Ley 1437 de 2011: una posici��n privilegiada de la administraci��n p��blica en Colombia frente a los particulares

La problem��tica que aborda este trabajo comprende el an��lisis de las implicaciones y del significado de la reafirmaci��n del tr��mite de los recursos administrativos como un requisito de procedibilidad que el particular debe agotar para poder acudir a la jurisdicci��n administrativa cuando pretende dirimir una controversia originada en una decisi��n adoptada por una autoridad p��blica. Nos preguntamos, si con ello, se cumpli�� todo aquello que inspir�� a los precursores de la expedici��n del nuevo c��digo de procedimiento administrativo y de lo contencioso administrativo. La investigaci��n se desarroll�� a partir de un plan de trabajo divido en dos partes. En la primera, se analiz�� la doble connotaci��n que caracteriza a los recursos administrativos, as�� como la evoluci��n, la efectividad y la importancia de aquellos de cara a los privilegios de la administraci��n p��blica. Tambi��n se abordaron las modificaciones que el legislador ha efectuado a esta herramienta de autocontrol de las decisiones administrativas y la jurisprudencia expedida por el Consejo de Estado y la Corte Constitucional en esta materia. En la segunda parte, con el fin de establecer si la reafirmaci��n del agotamiento del recurso de apelaci��n como requisito de procedibilidad para acudir a la jurisdicci��n administrativa, traduce los prop��sitos del legislador al expedir el nuevo c��digo administrativo y de lo contencioso administrativo, se plasmaron aspectos que debieron considerarse en esta reforma, en el marco de las tendencias de un Estado Social de Derecho y de la problem��tica de la congesti��n judicial que intenta afrontar el legislador. En ese marco, se explicaron los aspectos que permitieron constatar que los prop��sitos del legislador se desdibujaron al mantener la obligatoriedad de agotar los recursos administrativos para que el particular pueda someter una controversia a la jurisdicci��n administrativa.

Supremo interesse: protagonismo pol��tico-regulat��rio e a evolu����o institucional do processo de sele����o dos ministros do STF

Partindo da constata����o de que o Brasil acompanha hoje um fen��meno global de protagonismo das cortes supremas nas sociedades complexas contempor��neas, notadamente na cria����o de pol��ticas-p��blicas e regula����o, o estudo procura mapear a evolu����o ��� e progressiva democratiza����o ��� de uma estrutura de freios e contrapesos prevista na Constitui����o da Rep��blica Federativa do Brasil de 1988 (���Constitui����o���), qual seja, o processo de sele����o dos ministros do Supremo Tribunal Federal. Ao longo do texto �� analisada a arquitetura institucional e constitucional do processo de indica����o e aprova����o de novos ministros, bem como exemplificadas mudan��as no perfil dos atores pol��ticos, no plexo de compet��ncias das institui����es envolvidas e no contexto social, pol��tico, econ��mico e cultural que for��aram a transforma����o pr��tica do modelo de sele����o institucional, sem altera����o, no entanto, da formata����o originalmente prevista desde o S��culo XIX. Mapeando a origem e evolu����o da f��rmula constitucional de colabora����o entre o Poder Executivo e o Poder Legislativo para a escolha dos membros da c��pula do Poder Judici��rio, o estudo identifica a origem do modelo brasileiro na inspira����o da experi��ncia norte-americana, descrevendo esta e os paralelos poss��veis com aquele. A partir do marco central da Constitui����o, o trabalho procura demonstrar uma progressiva mobiliza����o de atores pol��ticos e sociais em rela����o ao processo de escolha, notadamente em rela����o ao momento em que os indicados para o Supremo Tribunal Federal s��o sabatinados pela Comiss��o de Constitui����o, Justi��a e Cidadania do Senado Federal. Finalmente, s��o analisadas concretamente as sabatinas e algumas das suas principais discuss��es, buscando extrair li����es que sirvam de norte colaborativo para a evolu����o da forma de sele����o dos ministros do Supremo Tribunal Federal, inclusive como instrumento de controle pr��vio de seus membros, futuros elaboradores de pol��ticas-p��blicas.

Animais n��o humanos: a constru����o da titularidade jur��dica como novos sujeitos de direito

This work has the main goal on the recognition of the inherent value of nonhuman animals, under the constitutional framework. It is presented the main philosophical formulations of the current pattern of behavior that rules the relationship between man and animals: first those that have excluded animals from moral consideration and then the thinkers which do have included, in some way, in order to elucidate the origin of the anthropocentric thought over the natural world. In this way, the analysis these thinkers that have included animals in moral consideration will contribute to a paradigm change from the anthropocentric view, initiating legal debates. It will be made a simplified analysis of different philosophical and legal points of view that have been demonstrating the posture in which the human beings have been dealing with the environment, with the replacement of the anthropocentric thinking for the biocentric view, in which life becomes the center of existence. Life is life, no matter whether it is human or not, has a value in itself, and must be protected and respected by the legal system. Then, it will be analized the constitutionalization of the nonhuman animal dignity in comparative law; the infraconstitutional legislation which concerning the intrinsic value of all life forms and, finally, the 1988 Constitution. It will be advocated for non-human animals the condition of subjects, presenting some cases that the Habeas Corpus was used in animal defense. In this new Brazilian Habeas Corpus theory of for apes the argument of genetic proximity was used in order to overcome the literal meaning of natural person to achieve hominids in order to assure the fundamental right of physical freedom. It is realized that the fact that the great apes being recognized as a person does not preclude the possibility of other living beings be recognized as subjects of law. In this way, animals can be considered non-human subjects of law, according to the theory of depersonalized entities and may enjoy a legal category that allows a respect for existential minimum, and can hold constitutional fundamental rights

Legal presumptions in national tax systems (Italy and Belgium) and in EU law

The thesis deals with the concept of presumptions, and in particular of legal presumptions, in the context of national tax systems (Italy and Belgium) and EU law. The purpose was to investigate the concept of legal presumption under a twofold comparative perspective. After having provided a general overview of the common core concept of presumption in the European context, an insight in the national approach to legal presumptions was given by examining two different national experiences, namely the Italian and Belgian tax systems. At this stage, the Constitutional framework and some of the most interesting and relevant at EU level presumptive measures were explored, with a view to underlining possible divergences and common grounds. The concept of (national) legal presumption was then investigated in the context of EU law, with the attempt to systematize under a uniform perspective a matter which has been traditionally dealt with either from the merely national point of view or, at EU level, through a fragmented form. In this instance, the EU law relevant framework and the most significant EUCJ case-law, in particular in the field of customs duties, VAT, on the issue of the repayment of taxes levied in breach of EU law and in the area of direct taxation, were examined so as to construe the overall EU approach to national legal presumptions. This was done with the finality of determining if and to what extent a common analytical framework may be identified, from which were extracted certain criteria governing the compatibility of national legal presumptions with EU law.

Moduli consensuali nei rapporti tra Stato e autonomie territoriali e ruolo delle Conferenze

Ad oltre un decennio dalla riforma costituzionale del 2001, la non compiuta attuazione della stessa sembra condurre ad una nuova ed assai prossima revisione costituzionale. Nel mutato quadro costituzionale di quest���ultimo periodo l���attenzione e l���interesse sono stati richiamati da una grande quantit�� di accordi, di intese e di altri moduli consensuali, introdotti ed esitati nei rapporti tra Stato ed autonomie territoriali. Dall���esame del sistema delle Conferenze si �� evidenziata la loro indispensabilit�� ai fini del coordinamento delle azioni politico ���amministrative delle autonomie territoriali, ma �� anche venuta fuori l���esigenza di ricorrere frequentemente ad altri tipi di moduli consensuali, spesso non tipizzati in ambito legislativo. I principi di sussidiariet�� e di leale collaborazione inducono non di rado ad assumere, nella concretezza, forme eterogenee poco chiare e confuse (accordo, intesa, concerto, parere) che, pur considerati i contributi offerti dalla dottrina e dalla giurisprudenza, richiederebbero un intervento da parte del legislatore. L���approfondimento tematico ha rilevato, nel contesto di rapporti tra Stato ed autonomie territoriali, un movimento per cos�� dire ondulatorio tra accese spinte autonomistiche e rimarcate esigenze centralistiche, lasciando ancora nella prospettiva una operativa ed efficiente armonia istituzionale.

The Dynamics of Decentralization in Italy: Towards a Federal Solution? European Diversity and Autonomy Papers, EDAP/04 2013

This paper analyses the recent process of state decentralisation in Italy from the perspectives of political science and constitutional law. It considers the conflicting pressures and partisan opportunism of the decentralising process, and how these have adversely affected the consistency and completeness of the new constitutional framework. The paper evaluates the major institutional reforms affecting state decentralisation, including the 2001 constitutional reform and the more recent legislation on fiscal federalism. It argues that while the legal framework for decentralisation remains unclear and contradictory in parts, the Constitutional Court has performed a key role in interpreting the provisions and giving life to the decentralised system, in which regional governments now perform a much more prominent role. This new system of more decentralised multi-level government must nevertheless contend with a political culture and party system that remains highly centralised, while the administrative apparatus has undergone no comparable shift to take account of state decentralisation, leading to the duplication of bureaucracy at all territorial levels and continuing conflicts over policy jurisdiction. Unlike in federal systems these conflicts cannot be resolved in Italy through mechanisms of ���shared rule���, since formal inter-governmental coordination structure are weak and entirely consultative.

The ENP in the light of the new ���neighbourhood clause��� (Article 8 TEU). Research Papers in Law, 2/2011

This short contribution outlines the renewed constitutional framework in which the ���European Neighbourhood Policy��� (ENP) is to be integrated and further developed (1.) and briefly discusses its possible implications for the finalit�� of the neighbourhood relationship in general and of the ENP more specifically (2.). This constitutional perspective reveals three ��� already well-known ��� conceptual problems of the ENP (3.).