Research institutes
Montesquieu Institute
The Montesquieu Institute Maastricht is a research centre dedicated to European and comparative parliamentary studies. Montesquieu's 'formula' for the organisation of a sustainable and democratic society has to a large extent determined the organisation of many 'modern' parliamentary democracies. However, this formula provides some challenging questions: is it still applicable nowadays? One of the objectives of the inter-university Montesquieu Institute is to stimulate both Dutch and foreign scientists to look for answers to this kind of questions. It is a collaboration between, amongst others, UM, Leiden University and the University of Groningen.
Fast facts
- European and comparative parliamentary studies
- inter-university institute
- main seat: The Hague campus of Leyden University
- led by Prof. Aalt Willem Heringa
Research
The Montesquieu Institute Maastricht focuses on parliamentary systems of government in Europe and in the European Union. The Institute’s aim is to contribute to the academic and public debate on democracy and governance in the European Union by deepening the understanding of the constitutional structures and political practice of national systems of parliamentary government. It takes a thoroughly comparative approach to parliamentary studies in a European context.
Education
The institute's staff is also involved in teaching activities within the bachelor's and master's programmes of the Faculty of Law of Maastricht University. They provide courses on Dutch, comparative and European constitutional law. In addition, the institute initiates public lectures and seminars and other activities for students and interested others on various issues related to parliamentary government and democracy.
Law Blogs Maastricht
Would you like to know more about our research? Visit Law Blogs Maastricht and find more information about the Faculty of Law's research output.
Montesquieu introductory video
Watch the video to learn about the Montesquieu institute and its activities.
Montesquieu Blogs
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Read moreinGeneral
Yesterday festive drinks were held at the occasion of opening the new Faculty Board Room and Alumni Wall. We also call upon everyone to help us name our tutorial rooms.
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Read moreinGeneral
In the hour of need, the United Kingdom is saddled with elected officials who fail to match the moment.
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Read moreinGeneral
Not in the mood for a deal: The Houses of Parliament in Westminster.
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Read moreinGeneral
Is it legally possible for Trump to invoke an emergency in order to avoid Congress and obtain the necessary funds to build his wall? Or put differently: is it possible under US law to undo the refusal of Congress to appropriate the necessary funds?
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Read moreinGeneral
Theresa May’s favoured Brexit deal is finished. The question remains when the Prime Minister will finally be prevailed upon to understand this reality – and when Parliament will finally take charge of the process.
Sophie van Hoonacker
“The EU member states have shown very little respect for the rules that they themselves created. One thing is becoming increasingly clear: an economic union will not function properly in the absence of a fiscal union with a political foundation.”
Aalt-Willem Heringa
“Politicians know best and do not wish to be confronted with courts testing the legal quality of their legislation. We have lived for many years with the idea that this was precisely one of the functions of the Senate. But we have now awoken to the situation that the Senate is also political and voting according to politics and coalition and opposition.”
Blogs and papers
Many of the scholars at the Montesquieu Institute are regularly contribute to blogs and publications in the fields of European and comparative constitutional law and politics. The blogs and papers page contains an overview of the latest contributions.
Go to the blogs and papers page
Montesquieu news
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New book: Bevrijdende en begrenzende soevereiniteit
Tuesday, December 11, 2018Read moreNew book: Bevrijdende en begrenzende soevereiniteit. The book brings together many of the annual conference contributions (both English and Dutch). The contributions focus in particular on the meaning of sovereignty and the relationship between the nation state and the European Union.
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Launch of Montesquieu volume 11 'Een goede raad'
Tuesday, October 16, 2018Read moreThis information is only available in Dutch.
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Comparative Government ook in Luzern
Thursday, August 4, 2016Read moreDe staf van het Maastrichtse MI zal dit najaar voor de tweede keer de mastercursus Comparative Government verzorgen aan de rechtenfaculteit van de universiteit van Luzern. Deze samenwerking bevalt beide partijen uitstekend en geeft ons kans om onze expertise op het vergelijkende staatsrecht te delen met een grotere groep (internationale) studenten. De docenten die in Luzern zullen doceren zijn Aalt Willem Heringa, Sascha Hardt en Thu Hoai Nguyen.
Montesquieu Institute Maastricht
Room: B 0.105
+ 31 43 388 31 45
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