Multilevel Constitutionalism and Fundamental Rights in Europe

Module coordinator: Professor Cedric Jenart

The cluster ‘Multilevel Constitutionalism and Fundamental Rights in Europe’ studies constitutional law and fundamental rights based on the observation that different

levels of authority are interconnected. It gives you the opportunity to study how all laws and governmental powers flow from a written or unwritten constitution safeguarding

fundamental rights, the interplay between state institutions and the relationship between European, national and subnational governments. The specific emphasis is on

how various governmental levels, such as supranational, national and subnational correlate via concrete cases and wicked issues within the European territory (nation states, European Union and Council of Europe). You will gain insight into the multilevel aspects of European fundamental rights protection via such supranational, regional and national instruments. You will equally balance the domestic Three Branches – Legislature, Executive and Judiciary – in light of the increasing impact of supranational law. You will ultimately focus on the territorial structuring of political systems that distribute powers over different levels of government, and how a balance is found between regional or national autonomy, and overall cohesion.

The module consists of these courses:

  • Advanced course: Constitutional Law of the European Union
  • Advanced course: Institutional Dynamics in Multilevel Constitutionalism
  • Comparative Federalism
  • European Fundamental Rights Law

Read more about each course in the study programme.

Privileged Partners

Our privileged partners for this module are:

  • University of Graz
  • University of Trento
  • Maastricht University