News and Events
[10-05-2012] Montesquieu Institute Research Meeting: Judicial Lawmaking (May 24th)
At this MI seminar, Willem Witteveen (Tilburg University) and Maartje de Visser will present ‘The Jurisprudence of Aharon Barak – Views from Europe’, a collection of works the central theme of which concerns the role of judges in contemporary society and their relationship with the legislature. The book is the fruit of a seminar with Aharon Barak, former president of the Israeli Supreme Court, during which established and aspiring researchers discussed the relevance and suitability of Barak’s work within the particular European context.
In his presentation, Willem Witteveen will argue that behind the maxims of quality in legislation and regulation, there is a venerable tradition of political-legal thinking about the art of lawmaking, going back to Plato and Aristotle. This leads him to question the possibility of developing an analogous body of ideas for a contemporary art of lawmaking by judges. Maartje de Visser will discuss the fashionable remedy of constitutional dialogues in shaping the relationship between courts and legislatures, with regard to upholding and interpretation the Constitution.
The two presentations will be followed by comments by Aalt-Willem Heringa and Wytze van der Woude.
Date: Thursday, 24 May 2012
Time: 14h00 - 16h00
Location: Tongersestraat 6, room 0.006/16 All are welcome; no registration required.
Tongersestraat 6 is a recently renovated building of the School of Business and Economics/Service Science Factory, close to the Faculty of Law. See Google map
[10-05-2012] Parliaments and military missions
On the 23rd of October 2009 the Montesquieu Institute Maastricht hosted a conference on parliamentary involvement with military missions. Even where it does not concern the actual waging of war, sending troops on military missions abroad is never undertaken lightly. No matter how many safeguards are put in place, it remains a decision that potentially risks the lives of men and women in the armed forces.
When lives are so directly influenced by political decision making, the question arises what should be the role of the prime representatives of the people: (members of) parliaments. On the one hand parliamentary involvement seems a logical consequence of the gravity of this kind of decision. On the other hand, the decision making process should not be unnecessarily delayed.
This book contains a report of the conference proceedings. During this conference the pros and cons of parliamentary involvement were addressed by a group of experts, both scholars and (former) politicians, from Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Not surprisingly these contributions, evidence of deeply-rooted differences in political and constitutional culture, prompted lively debates.
[15-03-2012] A.W. Heringa director Montesquieu Instituut
Starting from 1 April next, A.W. Heringa will succeed L. Verhey as director of the Montesquieu Institute. This in connection with L. Verhey’s departure.
[02-03-2012] Parliaments in Europe after Lisbon
On 23-24 February 2012 the Montesquieu Institute Maastricht, in cooperation with the OPAL network and with financial support from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) and the City of Maastricht, organized a large and highly successful international conference on the role of parliaments in Europe after the Lisbon Treaty. The conference’s multi-disciplinary approach brought together young researchers and preeminent scholars from constitutional law, comparative politics and public administration, and combined academic debate with input from practitioners, including senior staff from national parliaments across Europe. In total over 100 participants attended the event, which took place in the Crowne Plaza Hotel Maastricht. Speakers included Enrique Barón Crespo, former president of the European Parliament; Jens-Peter Bonde, former member of the European Parliament; Eniko Györi, Hungarian minister of EU affairs; Lord John Roper, member of the British House of Lords; and Michael Shackleton, Head of the UK Information Office of the European Parliament and professor at Maastricht University. The event once again underlined Maastricht’s solid international reputation as a leading center of parliamentary studies and European governance.
[02-03-2012]The accountability of financial regulators: lessons from the financial crisis, 20 April 2012
The behavior of financial regulators before and during the 2007-2010 financial crisis has been put into question in several countries, where the actions and omissions by the bodies in charge of financial regulation and oversight has often contributed to the financial meltdown . This has prompted discussions and regulatory reforms at the national, European and international levels with regard to the ways in which accountability mechanisms could help to improve the legitimacy and the efficiency of financial regulation and supervision.
This symposium gathers leading scholars and practitioners from the European Union and the United States with expertise in the field of accountability in the financial sector. The main purpose of the event is to discuss about the role of accountability in financial regulation/supervision and, in the light of the financial crisis lessons, to propose policy measures aimed at strengthening the accountability of financial regulators. The symposium adopts a highly multidisciplinary approach and, for such reason, it will be of great interest to scholars, practitioners and students from Law, Economics, Business and Political Sciences alike and, more generally, to all those interested in financial regulation and supervision.
This symposium is organized by the Montesquieu Institute, Maastricht University and financially supported by the Limburg University Fund/SWOL. The Montesquieu Institute is sponsored by the Province of Limburg and the Municipality of Maastricht.
Friday, 20th April 2012
Feestzaal, Faculty of Law, Maastricht University
Please see the website for further details and to register your participation.
[27-02-2012] Maastricht Monnet Lectures Series
The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Maastricht University, in cooperation with the Montesquieu Institute Maastricht, is organising a series of four lectures on the relations between the European Union and its citizens. For more information, please visit the website or contact mceg-fasos@maastrichtuniversity.nl
Tuesday, 22 May 2012, 20.00-22.00
Frank Vandenbroucke, “The EU needs a social investment pact”
Aula Faculty of Economics, Tongersestraat 53, Maastricht
Tuesday, 24 April 2012, 20.00-22.00
Prof. Desmond Dinan, : "A Greek Tragedy: American Attitudes toward the European Union"
Aula Faculty of Economics, Tongersestraat 53, Maastricht
Thursday, 29 March 2012, 20.00-22.00
Prof. Philomena Murray, "Europe and Asia - partners or rivals?”
Aula Faculty of Economics,Tongersestraat 53, Maastricht
[22-12-2011] Maastricht marks the 20th Anniversary of the Maastricht Treaty
On 7 and 8 February 2012, the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Maastricht University and the Maastricht Centre for European Governance, in cooperation with the Municipality of Maastricht and the Province of Limburg, will organize a series of interrelated events on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Maastricht Treaty.
On Tuesday, 7 February, the former Dutch Prime Minister and Finance Minister Wim Kok, the former Commission Vice-President Henning Christophersen and the Spanish MEP and former President of the European Parliament, Enrique Baron Crespo will debate the significance and the legacy of the Maastricht Treaty. This roundtable will be held at the Statenzaal of the Province of Limburg building where the Treaty was originally signed, and will be followed by a reception.
On Wednesday, 8 February, leading economists, historians and political scientists will discuss the origins, development and future perspective on the Treaty in the context of an academic conference in the main building of Maastricht University (Aula - Minderbroedersberg 4-6). This conference will be followed by a lecture by the renowned author Parag Khanna (New America Foundation/Council of European Foreign Relations) (School of Business and Economics Lecture Hall - Tongersestraat 53).
Please see the website for further details and to register your participation.
[08-12-2011] Parliaments in Europe after Lisbon
The Montesquieu Institute Maastricht, in cooperation with the OPAL network and with financial support from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) and the City of Maastricht, organizes a two-day conference on the role of parliaments in Europe after the Lisbon Treaty on 23-24 February 2012. The conference’s multi-disciplinary approach brings together scholars from law, comparative politics and public administration and combines academic debate with input from practitioners within the panels. Confirmed speakers include: Alain Delcamp, Secretary General of the French Senate; Jens-Peter Bonde, former Member of the European Parliament; Lord John Roper, member of the British House of Lords, Michael Shackleton, Head of the UK Information Office of the European Parliament and Hans Hegeland, Committee Secretary in the Swedish Parliament. For further details, and for the online registration form, see here.
[28-11-2011] Montesquieu Lecture by Prof. Monica Claes: “We the People? Beschouwingen over grondwetgeving” (in Dutch)
Prof. Monica Claes was in 2009/2010 lid van de Staatscommissie die zich boog over de vraag van de regering of de Nederlandse Grondwet gewijzigd moest worden. Daarbij ging het vooral om een versterking van de normatieve kracht van de Grondwet, een betere bescherming van grondrechten en de rol van de Grondwet in de internationale rechtsorde. Monica Claes zal in haar lezing vertellen over het werk van de Staatscommissie en de reactie van het kabinet, om vervolgens in te gaan op grotere vragen als: waartoe hebben wij een grondwet en hoe wordt die het best geschreven?
Montesquieu-lezing
Donderdag 1 december 2011
11.00 u, Feestzaal
Bouillonstraat 1-3
[29-11-2011] Maastricht Monnet Lecture Series
The Maastricht Centre for European Governance, in cooperation with the Montesquieu Institute Maastricht is organizing a series of four lectures on the relations between the EU and its citizens.
The first lecture in the series will take place on:
Mr. Philippe Lamberts, MEP will speak on 'The EU at a crossroads: towards further integration or decline?'
The lecture will be introduced by Dr Michael Shackleton, Head of the UK Office of the European Parliament and Special Professor for European Institutions at the University of Maastricht
Tuesday, 29 November 2011
Aula Faculty of Economics
Tongersestraat 53 Maastricht
20.00-22.00 H
[14-11-2011] Guest lecture by Prof. Sam Bell, 23 November 2011
As Europe tackles its economic and financial troubles, the question of how such a moment of weakness affects the ability of European governments to curb domestic unrest and political discontent, gains much prominence. With Greece experiencing violent protests, following the adoption of another austerity package to secure further loans from the IMF and the EU, where is the most likely political hotspot going to be? Even further, is dit possible to systematically predict the eruption of domestic violence against governments with a reasonable amount of accuracy?
Montesquieu Institute invites Sam Bell, assistant professor at Kansas State University, to present a global, comparative model that predicts the likelihood of domestic violence against the state.
Date: 23 November 2011
Location: Montesquieu Instituut, Lange Voorhout 86-32 te Den Haag
Please register via this form http://www.montesquieu-instituut.nl/SamBell
Participation is free of charge, but the number of seats is limited.
For more information, see the website
[20-10-2011] Twitter and Facebook: New and faster means of communication = more democracy?
Democracy is an ideal supported by many people. Yet it seems to have lost some of its shining image. In a democracy the electorate can vote periodically in elections. These elections are on the local, regional, national and in Europe on the European level. But what is the extent of the influence voters really have when they cast their votes? The greater the distance between the voter and the political level, the vaguer the influence seems. The gap between the electorate and politics is visible. Are new social media a chance to repair this gap?
The internet enables many people to (seemingly) influence democratic institutions and the way policies are made. This has a noticeable effect: politicians react immediately to messages on twitter and facebook. It seems a battleground has been created at which new media reign supreme. Does this have a positive effect? Does this new form of communication between the electorate and politics cause hypes and misguided behaviour of politicians? Does the speed connected with new media leave room for long-term policies with a chance of success? Or does it cause fast short term policies with failure, uncertainty and superficiality? For more information, see the website
[20-10-2011] Immigration politics in Dutch and European perspective - Lecture series on migration- and refugee policy in the Netherlands and Europe
In November and December 2011 the Montesquieu Institute, in cooperation with the department of Public Administration and Campus The Hague of Leiden University, organizes a lecture series of eight lectures on migration- and refugee policy in the Netherlands and Europe.
Ostensibly, immigration is a phenomenon that has been on the political agenda as a hot issue for, at maximum, the past fifteen years. However, reality deviates from this image. The eight lectures will shed light on migration and refugee policy from different perspectives: hisotry, law, political science, public administration and international and European studies.
For more informatie, see the website
[11-8-2011] Future of the Monarchy, 1 September 2011, The Hague
During the Montesquieu Summer Conference 20011, The Montesquieu Institute Maastricht will organize "Future of the Monarchy" on 1 September 2011. The last cabinet formation raised questions about the role of the Head of State in the Dutch political system. Some political parties are in favor of changing the role of the Monarch. During this discussion meeting the initiatives from different political parties to change the role of the Monarch will be discussed. In addition, there is also an exhibition "Look, there's the king!" The House of Orange in The Hague in the Haags Historisch Museum.
For more information, see the website
[8-7-2011] Montesquieu Summer Conference 2011: 'Building Trust in Society' 25 August-7 September 2011, The Hague
With the Summer Conference of 2010, the Montesquieu Institute challenged different social institutions to elaborate on their role in building trust in society. The conference drew great interest from both organizations and the public, which shows the importance of this issue in contemporary society. This year's conference will further elaborate on this theme and is entitled: Building Trust in Society – The Pillars of Democracy.
The traditional pillars on which our society is built seem no longer to be able to carry the weight of our ever more complex society. The new openness that is created by the rise of different new media, makes it hard for politicians and goverment to cover up any mistakes. MP’s keep asking for emergency debates, provoked by the constant demand for information, opinions and decisions. At the same time, other forces in society are developing: Social media have created a new kind of ‘Networking Citizens’ and behind the curtains, lobby organizations have become more and more important.
Which pillars define our democracy today? Will the new social forces increase trust in goverment, social organizations and the rule of law, or will they, on the opposite, undermine it? This years conference examines the pillars of our democracy. The sessions will be in Dutch. For more information on the speakers, the programme and how to register, please consult the Dutch version of the Montesquieu Institute website.
[4-7-2011] International workshop on parliamentary immunities, 23 May 2011
On Monday, 23 May 2011, the Montesquieu Institute Maastricht hosted an international workshop on parliamentary immunities. Before the background of the ‘Wilders case’ in the Netherlands, the repeated efforts of Italian prime minister Berlusconi to evade justice through new immunity legislation and the recent scandals around expenses of members of the British Parliament, to name a few, the subject continues to be of interest not only to legal academics. During the workshop, experts from the Netherlands, France and the UK discussed the systems of parliamentary immunity of their respective countries and beyond. The problems addressed included the compatibility of parliamentary immunity with the European Convention on Human Rights, the need for reform of the immunity system of the European Parliament and the question whether it would be desirable for the Netherlands to broaden the reach of parliamentary immunity to cover statements made outside parliament. While controversy on all these points is likely to persist, the Montesquieu Institute Maastricht looks back on a very interesting and fruitful workshop.
[1-7-2011] EU Pub Quiz, Maastricht, 31 May 2011
After a long year of hard work, we intended to test students on their knowledge of the European Union. The organizational team, the Montesquieu Institute in cooperation with ELSA, worked very hard for several weeks to get everything ready in time and their work was put to the test on the 31st of May 2011. From 20.00 onwards, participants started at arriving at Edd’s Café, the location for this, by now annual, event. Some 70 participants had gathered at the café, varying from students, to a MI-team, to some regulars at Edd’s Café, who decided to join in for fun.
After all participants had received their free drink, the quiz commenced. Participants were tested on their general knowledge, knowledge on history, institutions and people in the EU. Crazy facts passed the revue and participants had to identify pictures of parliaments across the European Union. There were prices for the first, second and third place. However, a situation occurred which we had not anticipated: there was a tie between the second and third place! In the commotion, the organizational team managed to fix a tie-breaker: how many square acres of forest does the European Union have?
Eventually the quiz was won by a team of students from the law faculty. Close on their heels were two teams from the faculty of European Studies. The team from the Montesquieu Institute came in fourth place by only one point! The evening came to a close with the handing out of the prices. It was a success, confirmed by multiple of the participants and the bar personnel from Edd’s Café. Hopefully, the event will remain to be annual, so we can anticipate another pub quiz next year!
[1-7-2011] ‘What kind of democracy for the EU? The European Parliament One Year After Lisbon’, Maastricht, 12 May 2011
The last Maastricht Monnet Lecture of this academic year was given by Dr Michael Shackleton, Head of the UK Office of the European Parliament (EP) and special chair in European institutions at Maastricht University. As the previous lecturers in the series this year, Dr Shackleton focussed on the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty. He more particularly discussed the enhanced role of the European Parliament, often seen as one of the big winners of Lisbon. Following an overview of the EP’s new legislative, budgetary and international powers, he successively looked into its capacity to use its enhanced role. Seen the many different actors involved in EU policymaking, he showed that impact cannot be taken for granted and the EP is not necessarily always a winner. Continuing important challenges for the EP are its visibility and accountability towards its electorate. Lisbon is an important new step in the long process whereby the EP has become an increasingly important actor in the EU political system but it is certainly not the last one.
[31-05-2011] A debate on the current state of growing dissatisfaction with our rule of law.
On June 8th, the Dutch Huis voor Democratie en Rechtsstaat, Nieuwspoort and the Montesquieu Institute will organize a debate on the current state of growing dissatisfaction with our rule of law.
The sessions will be in Dutch. For more information on the speakers, the programme and how to register, please consult the Dutch version of the Montesquieu Institute website.
[9-5-2011] Workshop Where now for Europarties: reflections post Lisbon 20-21 June 2011
Turnzaal (90-92, Grote Gracht str., Maastricht), Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Maastricht University, the Netherlands
Political parties at the European level – Europarties – have been dealing with two major challenges. On the one hand, they are gaining an increased importance in EU decision-making following EU institutional reforms, benefiting from EU financial support, and the establishment of political foundations. As a result, the Europarties have been facing the need to undergo internal changes in order to increase their organizational cohesiveness and affirm themselves as important players in the EU policy making. On the other hand, the process of European integration and the successive waves of enlargement have directly affected the structure and the shape of Europarties. The accession of new EU members represented a unique opportunity of recruiting more member parties and increasing the political representation in the European Parliament (EP). But a negative consequence of this recruiting strategy is the ideological dilution and the decrease in Europarty cohesiveness regarding their political principles.
The workshop aims at addressing these challenges and contributing to the scholarly debates as well as raising new ideas and research agendas on Europarties.
We are welcoming papers dealing with:
o Conceptualizing Europarties
o The organizational consolidation of Europarties
o Europarties’ activity within the EP and EU decision-making process
o The role of Europarties in promoting and safeguarding the democratic accountability, e.g. Europarties: threat or opportunity for national political parties?
o Europarties as regional and global actors
See the final draft of the programme.
If interested in attending it please register by 6 June 2011 with Lidwien Hollanders
[01-04-2011] Debate on the position of the traditional people parties
On 13 April the Montesquieu Institute, Nieuwspoort and the Dutch Huis voor Democratie en Rechtsstaat will organize a debate on the current state of affairs concerning the traditional people's parties in the Netherlands. The debate will focus on the downfall of the position of these tradtional parties in view of the rising of more outspoken parties on the left as well as on the right wing.
The sessions will be in Dutch. For more information on the speakers, the programme and how to register, please consult the Dutch version of the website.
[03-03-2011] Conference: Constitutional perspectives on European integration: Germany and the Netherlands (24 and 25 February 2011)
On Thursday the 24th and Friday the 25th of February, the Maastricht branch of the Montesquieu Institute and the Amsterdam Institute for German studies hosted a conference on the constitutional consequences of European integration in Germany and the Netherlands.During this conference the effects of European integration on the constitution as such were discussed and compared, as well as its consequences on the judiciary and on the national parliaments. Contributions from both academics and experts from the practical field (judges, (former) parliamentarians) were included.
[03-03-2011] Debate 'Should the provinces remain?'
On 23 February 2011, JFV Ouranos organised in co-operation with the Montesquieu Institute an activity concerning the Provincial Assembly elections of 2 March 2011. After a keynote-speech of Joop van den Berg on the usefulness of the provincial administration level as such, representatives of several political parties (VVD, CDA, PvdA, PNL, GroenLinks and D66) took part in a lively debate on provincial issues. This successful event was chaired by Philipp Kiiver.
[25-02-2011] Debate: 'Nederland in alle Staten'
On March 2nd, Dutch provincial elections will take place. These elections will also determine the members of the Senate and therefore the provincial elections and Senate elections are important, since the current Rutte cabinet has a minority in the Senate. In this debate on March 1, Dutch politicians, scientists and journalists will discuss the possible outcomes of these elections and the possible consequences for the Dutch political landscape. The sessions will be in Dutch. For more information: www.montesquieu-instituut.nl/bob
[18-02-2011] Seminar on Cabinet Formation in the Netherlands
The formation of a new Dutch cabinet in 2010 was in many ways remarkable. Both regarding its course and its outcome. Consequently, questions can be asked about the future role of the queen for example and the First Chamber. In this light, the Montesquieu Institute and the 'Staatsrechtkring' organized an expert seminar on 16 February where politicians, scientists, journalists, students and others who are interested in the theme discussed this formation period. For a full report on the seminar (in Dutch), click here.
[15-02-2011] Should the provinces remain?
With the upcoming provincial elections, JFV Ouranos organizes an activity in association with the Montesquieu Institute on February 23, 2011, regarding the use of the provinces and their competences. The activity will comprise two debates, the first from 11.00-11.45h. regarding the question whether the provinces should be abolished. The second will follow after a short break with a lunch. During this debate, from 12.00-14.00h, eligible members of various political parties will provide their visions on the competences of the province. Location: Feestzaal, Bouillonstraat 1-3, Maastricht (Activity will take place in dutch)
Register at commissarisintern@jfvouranos.nl
[04-02-2011] Government Nominates Prof. Verhey for Council of State
On Friday, 4 February 2011, the Netherlands Council of Ministers decided to nominate Prof. Luc Verhey for the position of State Councillor in the Advisory Division of the Council of State. It concerns a part-time position as of March 1st. Prof. Verhey will continue his work as professor of constitutional and administrative law at Maastricht University and director of the Montesquieu Institute Maastricht.
[18-01-2011] EuNaCon Lecture: 'Post-Lisbon Constitutional Developments in the EU'
[19-01-2011] Maastricht Monnet Lecture Series
Wednesday 19 January, Aula Minderbroedersberg,
Minderbroedersberg 4-6, 20.00-22.00 hrs
Prof. em. Dr. Beate Kohler, Mannheimer Zentrum für Europaïsche Sozialforschung and Bremen Distinguished Professor will speak on 'The Role of Civil Society Beyond Lisbon'.
[02-12-2010] Meeting Series on Constitutional Law and History for Members of Parliament
[23-11-2010] Debate: A Constitutional Court for the Netherlands?
On 1 December 2010 the Montesquieu Institute Maastricht, together with the law student association JFV Ouranos, will hold a debate on the topic “Does the Netherlands need a Constitutional Court?”. Two fellows of the Montesquieu Institute Maastricht will decide by lot who will defend which position, and will plead against one another. The debate will start at 13:30 and will take place in the Feestzaal at the Faculty of Law. To register, please visit www.jfvouranos.nl.
[18-11-2010] Workshop on constitutional identity in Europe
On Friday, November 26th, Prof. Monica Claes, research fellow at the Montesquieu Institute Maastricht, will be hosting a workshop on constitutional identity in Europe. This workshop is part of the annual conference of the Ius Commune Research School, which this year is taking place at the University of Leuven. Prof. Claes is project leader of a research programme on comparative constitutional law financed by the European Research Council. Speakers at the workshop include Elke Cloots (University of Leuven), Francois-Xavier Millet (EUI Florence), Jan Herman Reestman (University of Amsterdam), and Bruno de Witte (Maastricht University). For more information, please visit www.iuscommune.eu.
[30-10-2010] Prof. Van den Berg leads Maastricht coalition talks
[06-09-2010] Researchers Discuss Current Projects and New Initiatives at MI Day in Maastricht
Read more (in Dutch) >>
[24-06-2010] Lecture: Parliamentary Elections and Coalition Building in the Netherlands
The general elections in the Netherlands on June 9th, 2010, have resulted in a severely divided and fragmented parliament. The largely unregulated process of coalition building which traditionally follows parliamentary elections in the Netherlands is being put to the test. Now several weeks into the coalition building process, it remains to be seen what kind of governing coalition can be created. Peter Bootsma, researcher at MI Maastricht, discussed the ongoing coalition talks in a current affairs lecture for students and staff at Maastricht University, in which he put the current situation into a historical perspective and explained the various options on the table.
[08-04-2010] Special Seminar for Members of Maastricht City Council
On Wednesday, April 7th, the Montesquieu Institute hosted a seminar for the recently elected members of the Maastricht city council and the council's office of the clerk. Wytze van der Woude, research fellow at the MI Maastricht, gave a presentation in the Statenzaal at the Faculty of Law on the parliamentary rights and duties of individual council members. This included an in-depth analysis of such rights as the power of initiative, the instruments of motions and amendments, as well as the various investigative powers of the city council. The presentation was followed by a lively discussion. This MI seminar was part of the introductory programme for new as well as experienced council members, offered by the city of Maastricht.
[08-03-2010] Conference: Civil Servants and Politics
The relationship between civil servants and politics has always been delicate and it is well-known that the formal dichotomy between the political and administrative branch is to a certain extent artificial. The growing role of knowledge and expertise in the policymaking process and the emergence of supranational and international bureaucracies as key players in processes of governance has raised new challenges for the delicate balance between civil servants and politics. This two-day, international conference examined the role of civil servants in the political arena – a topic that has, for the most part, been eclipsed in both the political and academic debate. Topics were addressed from both national and European perspectives and ranged from issues such as recruitment and career progression to questions of accountability and political rights of civil servants. Speakers included academics as well as practitioners.
[05-03-2010] Maastricht Monnet Lecture on European News Media
[04-03-2010] Local Elections Night
[23-02-2010] Peter Bootsma Discusses Dutch Cabinet Crisis on Dutch TV
Peter Bootsma appeared in yesterday's edition of the current affairs TV programme 'EenVandaag' to explain the Queen's political consultations following last week's collapse of the Balkenende coalition government over the extention of Dutch military involvement in Afghanistan. Watch the interview (in Dutch) below. Peter Bootsma joined the Montesquieu Institute and Maastricht's Faculty of Law in 2009 and is working on a Ph.D. dissertation on government coalition building in a comparative perspective.
[29-01-2010] Professor Van den Berg Award
The Leiden student association for political science (SPIL) has established a new student award, to be named after Professor Joop van den Berg. The prize will be awarded each year for the best bachelor's thesis in the field of political science at Leiden University. Academic scholar, political commentator and former member of the Dutch Senate, Joop van den Berg is Professor Emeritus of Parliamentary History at Leiden University and Honorary Professor of Parliamentary Systems at Maastricht University. He is also a research fellow at the Montesquieu Institute Maastricht.
[12-01-2010] Maastricht Monnet Lecture Series: Europe and its Citizens
The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, in cooperation with the Montesquieu Institute Maastricht, is organising a series of four lectures on the relations between the EU and its citizens. At the first lecture in the series, Kathalijne Buitenweg, former Member of the European Parliament, gave a lecture on "Europe and its Citizens: Bridging Troubled Waters". The lecture was introduced by Dr Michael Shackleton, Head of the UK Office of the European Parliament and Special Professor of European Institutions at Maastricht University.
[26-10-2009] Symposium: Parliaments and Military Missions
On October 23, 2009, the Montesquieu Institute Maastricht hosted a symposium at Maastricht University's Faculty of Law on the topic of parliamentary control of military missions. The symposium was inspired by the current discussion in the Netherlands as a result of the Dutch government's decision to support the U.S.-British led invasion of Iraq in 2003. This controversial decision revived an ongoing debate as to the proper constutional and political role of parliament in the decisionmaking process with regard to the deployment of armed forces abroad. The symposium brought together academic experts and members of parliament from the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands to discuss the legal and political ramifications of this contentious issue in these parliamentary systems, leading to a lively discussion about parliament's role and lessions to be learned from other countries. The symposium was attended by about 80 participants. Click here for the brochure.
[16-10-2009] Panel Debate on European Elections
[17-09-2009] Successful Film & Debat Night at Lumière Cinema
About 70 students and staff of Maastricht University participated yesterday in the first Film & Debate night at Lumière Cinema, hosted by the Montesquieu Institute Maastricht. The movie selected for this event was Charlie Wilson's War (USA 2007), starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. Based on a true story, the movie depicts the political dealings of Charlie Wilson, a member of the U.S. Congress, who took up the cause of the people of Afghanistan in the 1980s and used congressional channels to arrange covert funding for the mujahideen's fight against the Soviet army. The movie was followed by a discussion of parliament's involvement in the area of military affairs. Bram Stemerdink, former Dutch minister of Defence, talked about his personal experiences and the role of parliaments, explained the differences and similarities of political decisionmaking and parliamentary procedures in the United States and the Netherlands.
[30-07-2009] Mira Scholten Best Participant at Columbia Summer Program
The Hans Smit Award, named after the founder of the Columbia-Leyden-Amsterdam Summer Program, is awarded each year to the best participant in the program. Since 1963, the Columbia Summer Program has brought professors from Columbia University Law School to the Netherlands to teach summer courses in various subject areas of American law. The four-week program takes place each year, alternately at Leyden University and the University of Amsterdam. The program boasts a prestigious group of alumni who have gone on to become partners at American and European law firms, professors at top universities, and members of government. Mira Scholten joined the Montesquieu Institute Maastricht and the Maastricht Law Faculty in the fall of 2008. She is working on a Ph.D. project on parliamentary control of independent agencies in the United States and the European Union.
[18-05-2009]New Book on Democratic Accountability in Europe
The Maastricht branch of the Montesquieu Institute is pleased to present the edited volume Political Accountability and European Integration. The volume is based on the contributions to an international conference which the Institute hosted in Maastricht in March 2008. The conference concluded a larger research project sponsored by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). We hope that this volume will not only make accessible the results of recent research in the area of democracy and accountability, but that it will also stimulate scholarly work in this field in the future. Click here for more info.
[19-03-2009] Jean Monnet Lecture: Living Apart Together, Inter-Institutional Dynamics in the EU Beyond Lisbon
The Jean Monnet Lecture Series, organised by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Maastricht University, is a series of four lectures on the future of the EU institutions. The speakers are former high-level officials from the EU institutions. The fourth and final lecture in the series will take place on April 16th, 2009, and will be delivered by Michiel van Hulten, former member of the European Parliament. It is entitled: "Living Apart Together: Interinstitutional Dynamics in the EU beyond Lisbon". The lecture will be introduced by Dr Michael Shackleton, Head of Unit at the European Parliament's secretariat and Professor of European Institutions at Maastricht University. Thursday 16 April 2009, Aula Faculty of Economics, Tongersestraat 53, 20.00-22.00 hrs.
[05-03-2009] Conference: The European Parliament in An Ever Changing Union
In June 2009, elections for the European Parliament will be held in all 27 European member states. The role of the EP in an expanding Union is more than ever a topic of discussion. On 5 and 6 March 2009, the Montesquieu Institute Maastricht organised the conference 'The EP in an ever changing Union: where to go from here?'. The conference brought together international experts from academia and practice to discuss several topics with regard to the European Parliament. For the conference programme, click here [in pdf]. To read the opening address by Prof. Luc Verhey, click here [in Word]. For photos, click here. To read the response by Prof. Joop van den Berg, click here [in pdf].
[15-01-2009] Expert Meeting: Parliamentary Investigations
The work of parliamentary committees of investigation has in many parliamentary systems been described as an effective mechanism of strengthening parliament’s ability to hold the government to account, but has also raised concerns about issues such as the protection of witnesses. The investigative procedures and practices of national parliaments vary considerably, while the European Parliament’s activities in this field appear to be still in their infancy. The meeting, organised by the Montesquieu Institute in Maastricht, brought together international experts to discuss a number of key aspects of the law and practice of parliamentary investigations of several national parliaments in Europe, to explore differences and similarities and to exchange ideas and experiences. On the basis of these discussions the workshop also focused on the future of inquiry committees in the European Parliament. Click here [in pdf] for the programme.
[05-11-2008] Event: U.S. Election Breakfast 2008
On November 4th, 2008 America elected a new President. The 2008 race for the White House was historic in many respects and is watched more closely than ever before by millions all around the world. Many Europeans even considered the U.S. presidential elections to be (almost) as important as their own national elections. But what to expect from the new American President and his leadership? What challenges will President Bush's successor face? How does American democracy work? And what will the outcome of these elections mean for Europe? Early in the morning following Election Day in America, about 150 students and staff of Maastricht University attended the U.S. Election Breakfast, an event co-hosted by the Montesquieu Institute and the Maastricht Graduate School of Governance. While enjoying a real American breakfast and with continuous CNN and BBC coverage of the latest results on large screens, the election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States was debated in a panel discussion by Dr. Philipp Kiiver (Faculty of Law), Dr. Roberta Haar (University College Maastricht), Dr. Jaap Hoogeboesem (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences) and Denny Merideth, political officer at the U.S. Embassy in The Hague. The debate was led by Jan Tromp, journalist and former U.S. correspondent for the leading Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant. To see the news report on L1 TV,
click here.
[23-04-2008] Expert Meeting: A European Prosecution Service?
On April 23th, 2008, the Montesquieu Institute Maastricht organised an international workshop on the creation of a European Prosecutor’s Office. Experts and practitioners from various European and national organisations, such as OLAF, Eurojust, and the Dutch Competition Authority (NMa) discussed the possibilities of a future European Prosecutor’s Office embedded within the European and national constitutional frameworks. Next to issues such as the cooperation between national authorities, the workshop focused on questions of multilevel governance and accountability mechanisms regarding the European Parliament or national institutions. Click here [in pdf] for the programme.
[01-04-2008] Publication: Political Accountability in Europe: Which Way Forward?
There seems to be a growing tendency, as prominently shown by the fall of the Santer Commission in 1999 and more recently in the Constitutional Treaty, to construe the relationship between the Commission and the European Parliament as a parliamentary system. In a parliamentary system, the government gives account to Parliament and, where appropriate, suffers the consequences if errors have been made. The aim of this project is to further develop a European concept of political accountability. Therefore, it can be relevant to identify what political accountability precisely means in the various Member States. In order to identify common principles (ius commune), twelve distinguished constitutional lawyers and political scientists have analysed the concept of political accountability from their national perspectives. In a comparative chapter, the parallels and the differences between the national systems are identified and the extent to which common ground can be found in Europe is explored. In a final chapter, an analysis is made of the extent to which this ‘ius commune’ can be applied to the EU-level.
Political Accountability in Europe: Which Way Forward. A Traditional Concept of Parliamentary Democracy in an EU Context, edited by Prof. Luc Verhey, Dr. Hansko Broeksteeg and Dr. Ilse Van den Driessche, Groningen: Europa Law Publishing 2008. ISBN: 978-90-76871-82-0. For more information and to order, click here.
[13-03-2008] Conference: Political Accountability in Europe
The Montesquieu Institute Maastricht organised an international conference to present to a wider audience the findings of the SaRo Project on Political Control and Accountability in a European Perspective. The SaRo Project was financed by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) as part of its impulse strategy for legal research. Launched in 2004, the Project was to examine how political control may be organized in the European Union of tomorrow. This included three interdisciplinary studies regarding the future role of national parliaments in the European democracy, on the concept of political accountability in the European Union, and on political-administrative dynamics within the European Commission bureaucracy. These studies were carried out, respectively, by the Universities of Amsterdam, Maastricht and Utrecht. The final conference took place on 13-14 March 2008 at Kasteel Vaeshartelt in Maastricht and brought together distinguished international scholars in the disciplines of law and political science, but also included parliamentarians and policy-makers, representatives from the government and the civil service, journalists, students, and many experts involved in academic research and teaching. For more information on the research project and the final conference, click here.
