Bulletin n. 3/2008
February 2009
CONTENTS
  • Section A) The theory and practise of the federal states and multi-level systems of government
  • Section B) Global governance and international organizations
  • Section C) Regional integration processes
  • Section D) Federalism as a political idea
    • Benz Arthur
    From Joint Decision Traps to Over-regulated Federalism: Adverse Effects of a Successful Constitutional Reform
    in German Politics , Volume 17, Issue 4, December ,  2008 ,  440-456
    The article sheds light on an unintended effect of recent constitutional reform in Germany: the extension of detailed regulations in the constitution. This outcome is explained by the structure of the reform process which caused party political and intergovernmental bargaining as usual. Moreover, the interplay between constitutional policy-making and decisions of the Constitutional Court contribute to the described trend of over-regulation of the constitution. The second reform, currently under way, is likely to continue this trend. As a consequence, the federal system is in danger of losing necessary flexibility, while governance will become neither more effective nor more democratic.
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