France dispatches constitutional official to ECHR

Laurent Fabius, president of France's Constitutional Council, visited the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Friday.

Received by the ECHR's president Guido Raimondi, the visit came against the background of the continuing state of emergency in France following last year's terrorist attacks in Paris, social unrest in the country, and a widespread disillusion with European institutions among French voters.

Coming just a year before next year's general election in France, Fabius' visit took on an even more significant role.

The entrenchment of the state of emergency in the constitution and the forfeiture of nationality for those convicted of terrorist acts, which were called for by French President Francois Hollande after the November Paris attacks, provoked months of heated debate in the country before the latter was dropped in March.

The Constitutional Council plays a key role in France as it is responsible for ensuring respect for the constitution, effectively giving it control over the constitutionality of laws emanating from the national parliament as well as international treaties.

Members of the council validated the essential components of the state of emergency declared by the French government although some remain vigorously contested.

Some measures are considered draconian, even unconstitutional by NGOs defending human rights which could bring a case against France in the ECHR. The court has the power to condemn any member state for violations of the European Convention on Human Rights.

After Strasbourg, and London where he will meet with his UK counterpart, Fabius will continue his European "constitutional" tour which is expected to finish towards the end of June before the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.

While in the region he will also meet his counterparts at the German constitutional court based in the south-western German city of Karlsruhe. Endit