At the invitation of the leading Israeli think tank 'Israel Democracy Institute', prof. Tomasz Tadeusz Koncewicz, Head of the Department of European Law and Legal Comparative Studies at the WPIA UG, participated in an international debate and panel on the Israeli government's proposed changes to how judges are elected.
In addition to Prof. Koncewicz, the panel 'No other democracy in the World' included former Irish Minister of Justice Alan Shatter, former Canadian Minister of Justice Professor Irwin Kotler, former German Constitutional Court judge Professor Andres Paulus, former Indian Supreme Court judge Nageswara Rao and Professors Kalypso Nicolaides and Gabor Halmai from the European University Institute.
The panellists discussed the importance of ensuring the independence of the judiciary as a key element of the rule of law and separation of powers in a democratic system. They stressed that any political power is a power limited by the law and institutions independent of it, including, in particular, the courts. The panellists pointed out that a genuinely democratic system of governance never amounts to simple majority rule. The latter has too often in history led to unimaginable crimes and abuses in the name of ... 'majority rule' and the glorified will of the people.
The stay in Israel was also an opportunity to meet Knesset politicians and talk to NGO representatives and Israeli and foreign media.
For more information about the 'No other democracy in the World' conference:
https://en.idi.org.il/events/48522
Final statements of the panellists to the foreign and Israeli press:
https://www.youtube.com/live/c1cEEQF0V8M?feature=share
Excerpt from Prof. Koncewicz's speech:
Na zdjęciu od lewej: Prof. Gábor Halmai, Prof. Suzie Navot, Adv. Alan Shatter, Justice Nageswara Rao, Prof. Kalypso Nicolaidis, Yohanan Plesner, Amir Elstein, Prof. Irwin Cotler, Prof. Tomasz Tadeusz Koncewicz.