German-Southeast Asian Center of Excellence for Public Policy and Good Governance will organise an Online expert Talk on “Crafting Democracy: The Difficult Path to Germany’s 1949 Basic Law and its Enduring Innovations” on August 19, 2024, in Online mode.
About CPG
Established in 2009 as part of the German federal government´s prestigious initiative of excellence, the German-Southeast Asian Center of Excellence for Public Policy and Good Governance (CPG) is one of five Centers of Excellence worldwide.
With a focus on the intersection of law and politics and legal and policy reform, CPG operates as an academic institute and think tank in areas of interest such as democracy, human rights, and the rule of law; peace and security; geopolitics and regional order, and compliance. It has gained a reputation for its research and consultancy services, particularly for its contributions to the analysis of Asian constitutional politics, the emerging Asian regional order and ESG/cross-border compliance.
Concept Note
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the German constitution, widely known as the Basic Law. Following intense deliberations in the Parliamentary Council beginning on September 1, 1948, the draft was passed on May 8, 1949, and subsequently approved by the occupying Western Allies of World War II. The Basic Law came into force on May 23, 1949, concurrently establishing the Federal Republic of Germany.
Four years after Germany’s defeat in World War II, with the country divided under occupation, the Basic Law was initially thought to be a provisional constitutional framework until the hoped-for German reunification. While the Cold War postponed unification far into the future, the Basic Law proved to be a robust constitutional foundation and maintained the role as the supreme law of the land after the eventual reunification in 1990.
Recognized as a cornerstone of democratic governance, rule of law, and human rights protection in Germany, the Basic Law has also inspired the development of constitutions in many countries around the world.
This presentation explores the journey leading to the creation of Germany's 1949 Basic Law, examining the political, social, and historical factors that shaped its formation. It highlights the enduring innovations of this foundational document and their subsequent application in German constitutional jurisprudence. Besides the immense protection of human dignity and freedom, further notable innovative features discussed in this talk include the absence of an emergency law, the introduction of the right to asylum and conscientious objection to military service, and the abolition of the death penalty.
Speaker
Henning Glaser teaches comparative public law at the Faculty of Law at Thammasat University. He is the Director of the German-Southeast Asian Center of Excellence for Public Policy and Good Governance (CPG) and the Executive Director and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Asian Governance Foundation (AGF). He serves as the Editor-in-Chief of CPG’s Asia in Review (AiR) and Europe in Review (EiR). His research interests include constitutional law, constitutional politics, Asian geopolitics, and the transformation of the world system. He frequently consults for governmental and non-governmental bodies in Asia and Europe on various legal and political issues.
Agenda
S. No. | Agenda | Time |
|---|---|---|
Welcoming words | 3:00-3:05 pm | |
2. | Expert talk on “75 Years German Basic Law: Historical Origins, Core Ideas, Developments, and Current Challenges” by Henning Glaser, Director, CPG | 3:05-4:00 pm |
3. | Open Forum, Q & A session | 4:00-4:30 pm |
4. | Concluding remarks | 4:30 pm |
Date
19 August 2024, 3:00-4:30 pm ICT (GMT+7) online via Zoom video conferencing.
Registration Link
One can register using the Microsoft Form available here.