Authoritative statements by esteemed officials that the rule of law has been violated no longer have political consequences. Scandals that would have ended careers only a few years ago barely register.
As the House mounts an impeachment investigation of President Trump, examples from Central and South America show that ousting an executive leader from office doesn’t always have the intended effect.
As a branch of government, the courts must naturally be accountable for the exercise of their power. The means of achieving their accountability must be balanced against their necessary independence.
President Trump hinted that he would defy a Supreme Court ruling recently, though he later yielded to its authority. Andrew Jackson – Trump’s hero – likewise challenged the rule of law in the 1830s.
Garret Martin, American University School of International Service
Populists didn’t do well enough in the EU’s recent elections to destroy Europe from within. But with far-right and far-left parties winning new seats, consensus on key issues looks ever less likely.
Several world leaders, including Vladimir Putin, stand accused of plagiarizing their PhD dissertations. Whether they resign, deny or ignore the allegations says a lot about the country they run.
Under new WA legislation, the state’s attorney-general has the power to order serial killers and mass murders remain in jail, sometimes without judicial review.
The bitterly contested hearings to confirm Brett Kavanaugh as the newest justice to the U.S. Supreme Court were more of a show trial than a legal procedure.
Professor in Law and Co-Convener National Security Hub (University of Canberra) and Research Fellow (adjunct) - The Security Institute for Governance and Leadership in Africa, Faculty of Military Science, Stellenbosch University- NATO Fellow Asia-Pacific, University of Canberra