Constitutional law [DRHDB101]

9 credits
60h
2^nd quarter
Language of instruction: French / Français
Teacher: Wattier Stéphanie

Objectives

The aim of the constitutional law course is to enable students to acquire an understanding of the Belgian institutional landscape and the organisation of the State at all levels of power, as well as the problems that this organisation through law may entail. It includes a general introduction, an analysis of constitutional law, an in-depth look at the regime of the various political authorities (State, federated entities and decentralised entities), a presentation of the hierarchy of norms and the remedies available against norms.

Content

Introduction

1. The State and the general constitutional framework ;

2. The birth of the Belgian State and the Constitution ;

3. Belgium, a federal State ;

4. Constituent power ;

5. Distribution of powers ;

6. Legislative power ;

7. Executive power ;

8. The Constitutional Court ;

9. The courts and other constitutionality reviews ;

10. The hierarchy of norms ;

11. Public liberties under Title II of the Constitution.

Teaching methods

The course is given ex cathedra. A syllabus is made available to students. It enables students to approach the oral course with confidence, while encouraging them to be active during the course by adding, through note-taking, the illustrations and additional explanations of the oral course.

PowerPoint slides - available on the course's Webcampus platform - are also made available to students and projected during the course.

The constitutional law course draws on current political events, which are particularly rich in this area, and encourages students to use their critical faculties.

Innovative teaching tools are made available to them, such as the videos produced by the Faculty of Law on the use of the code, on comparison, on definition, on the electoral system and on the effective reading of a text. These videos are available on the UNamur Youtube channel and/or on Webcampus.

Evaluations

Assessment takes the form of a written examination for each session. The aim is to test students' mastery of the fundamental concepts studied and the practical exercises, on the one hand, and their ability to research the Code, on the other.

The exam requires students to memorise and manipulate legal texts, and to reason, think, write and apply the material.

Students must be able to:

    Restate the theory.
    Put theory into practice, particularly in the context of solving a case.
    Master important dates.
    Find information in legal instruments.
    Summarise, using precise and appropriate vocabulary, the case law covered in the course.
    Use legal vocabulary appropriately.
    Write a clear, precise and complete answer (correct from the point of view of the French language).
    Fill in the relevant legal basis whenever it exists.

Language of instruction

French / Français

Location for course

NAMUR

Organizer

Faculté de droit
Rue de Bruxelles, 61
5000 NAMUR

Degree of Reference

Undergraduate Degree

	Block	Credits
Bachelier en droit (horaire décalé)	1	9