Flexible constitutions and transitional justice, questioning the use of the amendment power in transitional justice contexts
No. 9 (2022-08-01)Author(s)
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David Fernando Cruz Gutierrez
Abstract
This paper discusses the tension between the constitutional amendment power and transitional justice. This controversy takes place in contexts where transitional justice institutions are introduced with the aim of strengthening other democratic institutions. The issue under consideration is the possibility of an undemocratic use of the amendment power under the veil of transitional justice and the response of Constitutional Courts to this use. This risk is associated with the resistance of Constitutions to change, a risk that increases when the Constitution is more flexible. The Colombian case illustrates this discussion and allows us to identify a response from the Constitutional Court to this use.
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