This event marks the second occasion of our A View from the Bench research seminar series, which offers a rare opportunity to engage with former and sitting constitutional judges and to gain personal insight into the practice of constitutional adjudication. Moving beyond the formal analysis of legal doctrine, the series is dedicated to exploring the human and institutional dimensions of constitutional judging, focusing on the experiences, pressures, and responsibilities that accompany the interpretation of a nation’s fundamental law.

For this occasion, we are pleased to welcome Frane Staničić, President of the Croatian Constitutional Court and Professor of Administrative Law at the University of Zagreb. Appointed to the Court by the Croatian Parliament in 2023 and soon thereafter elected its President. He brings a rare combination of constitutional responsibility and deep scholarly expertise in administrative law.

The discussion will focus on Professor Staničić’s reflections on constitutional decision-making, with particular attention to how constitutional courts operate at the intersection of legal principle, institutional constraint, and administrative governance. Rather than offering an abstract account of constitutional adjudication, the event invites a closer look at the Croatian Constitutional Court as a working institution, shaped by legal traditions, procedural choices, and judicial judgment. By situating constitutional review within the broader structures of public administration and state authority, the discussion provides insight into how constitutional courts navigate complex governance challenges in practice.

 

Guest speaker: Frane Staničić is Full Professor and Head of Administrative Law at the Faculty of Law at University of Zagreb, and President of the Croatian Constitutional Court.

Date: 23 April 2026, 5:30 pm

Venue: Budapest, 1113 Tas vezér utca 3-7., Hunyadi János Room

 

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MCC students can earn credit for actively participating in the event, provided they read the required chapters and paper(s) and prepare three questions for the Q&A session of the research seminar.

Questions related to the required reading must be submitted to Kálmán Pócza at pocza.kalman@mcc.hu by 11:00 PM on 21 April, 2026.

Required Reading: Please contact Kálmán Pócza to obtain the electronic version of the paper.

Submission Deadline: 21 April 2026, 11:00 PM

 

Previous Research Seminars: