László Trócsányi

László Trócsányi

LÁSZLÓ TRÓCSÁNYI, Minister of Justice of Hungary (since June 2014). Graduate of the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences of Eötvös Loránd University (1980), he was admitted to the bar in 1985, while also working as a researcher at the Institute for Legal Studies of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences until 1988. In 1989 he became member of the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences of the University of Szeged. Head of department from 2000, Professor Trócsányi also served as Director of the European Studies Centre of Szeged University (from 2004) and chief coordinator of French-language courses in European Law and of International Relations. He was visiting professor at Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3 and at the Catholic University of Louvain-la-Neuve (2006–2009). He served as Hungary’s Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg (2000–2004), and Ambassador to France (2010–2014). He received the Palmas Académiques award from the French government in 1996 and the Grand Officer Class of the Order of Leopold II from Belgium in 2002.

THE FUTURE OF EUROPE

“… the Union has no other choice and it does not have any future unless it includes and cherishes the various histories, traditions, and identities of Europe’s constituent nations. Brexit shall stand as a reminder to all of us that ignoring such claims leads nowhere.” INTRODUCTION Europe is our cradle,

NEW CHALLENGES FACING DEMOCRACY AND THE RULE OF LAW

Most national constitutions affirm and enshrine the principle of popular sovereignty. The classic tenet states that political power is derived from the people, and is exercised by the national Parliament and government created by the people through free elections. The question I wish to address here is to what extent

GAULLISM AND EUROPE

The figure of Charles de Gaulle remains unexplained in sufficient depth, at least in Hungary. As professor of Szeged University, I recall classes in constitutional law where we would talk for hours about the American Constitution, describing the administrative organisation of the United States, analysing Great Britain and the legacy

RULE OF LAW: THE ASCENDANCY OF CONSCIENCE IN EUROPE

RULE OF LAW: THE ASCENDANCY OF CONSCIENCE IN EUROPE(1) It is a great honour and pleasure for me to speak at the feast of Saint Thomas Becket today. Now an annual tradition in Esztergom, the seat of Hungary’s Roman Catholic Primate, this event has been a veritable celebration of the