The conference

This half-day-long public event is hosted at the Académie royale de Belgique and is co-organized by professors Ramona Coman (IEE-ULB), Agnieszka Kubal (UCL), and Birgit Apitzsch (University of Bochum) with the support of the IEE-ULB, the FNRS, the British Academy, and the GEM-DIAMOND Ph.D program.

This event brings together judges from different EU member states as well as representatives of civil society organizations and professional associations of judges to engage with a careful reflection on the forms taken by the dissensus over liberal democracy and their implications. Two roundtables are scheduled and set up as “experience sharing” aimed at identifying the challenges that the growing dissensus over liberal democracy poses to judges and citizens alike.

A keynote lecture by John Morijn (Groningen University & Princeton University) will close the program at 18:30.
“European judges, civil society organisations and dissensus: solidarities, strategies and silver linings” 

The first part of the conference will be structure around two roundtables: 

The questions at the core of the first roundtable entitled “The roles of judges in times of dissensus over liberal democracy” are:

  • (1) What are the implications of the growing dissensus over liberal democracy for judges and citizens alike?
  • (2) What roles should judges play when democracy is under strain?
  • (3) How do judges experience dissensus over liberal democracy in your work/area of activity?
  • (4) How are the reactions from judges/judges associations from other countries to dissensus over liberal democracy precieved? What role does transnational exchange or contact with judges from other European countries play in your profession?
With the participation of : 

Chair: Emmanuelle Bribosia (ULB, IEE, Judge at the Constitutional Court, Belgium); Moderator: Birgit Apitzsch (University of Bochum); 

  • Monika Frąckowiak, Judge, Vice-president of Medel & member of Iustitia, Polish Judges Association; 
  • Dariusz Mazur, Judge, Poland; 
  • Tamás Matusik, Judge, President of the National Judicial Council of Hungary; 
  • Orsolaya Szántai, Judge, Member of the Board of MABIE (Hungarian Association of Judges); 
  • Dragos Calin, Judge, Co-President AFJ, Romania; 

The second roundtable The Roles of Professional and Civil Society Associations in Times of Dissensus over Liberal Democracy will address the following questions:

  • (A) What are the implications of the growing dissensus over liberal democracy for civil society organizations?
  • (B) How can civil society organizations use courts to safeguard rights and values?
  • (C) How do judges experience dissensus over liberal democracy in your work/area of activity?
With the participation of: 

Chair: Ramona Coman (ULB, IEE, CEVIPOL); Moderator: Leonardo Puleo (ULB, IEE, CEVIPOL)

  • András Kádár, Co-chair of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee
  • Michał Wawrykiewicz, Wolne Sady
  • Andrea Titz, Co-President of the German Judges Association and Vice President of the Regional Court of Traunstein (Germany)
  • Mariarosaria Guglielmi, President of MEDEL, European Delegated Prosecutor

Check the full programme here 

Practical information

Date: Friday, October 20, 2023

Time: 1:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Place: Académie Royale de Belgique (Salle De Duve) – Rue Ducale #1, 1000 Bruxelles, 1000 Bruxelles

Registration

Participation is free, but registration is mandatory.