High attendance at Kirchheiner Conference on ‘The Ombudsman & the Rule of Law’
On Thursday 29 August 2024, Leiden University hosted the conference on theme of ‘The Ombudsman & the Rule of Law’. More than 100 participants from professional practice and academia attended the conference, which was organised by Professor Luc Verhey and Fatma Çapkurt from the Department of Constitutional and Administrative Law.
The central theme of the Kirchheiner Conference was the position of the National Ombudsman of the Netherlands in the rule of law: to what extent is the Ombudsman sufficiently equipped through legislation and in practice to perform his tasks effectively? Can the Ombudsman indeed, as the cabinet wishes, provide a safety net for citizens who end up in very distressing situations due to the implementation of legislation? In view of the recent report The broken promise of the rule of law by the State Commission on the Rule of Law, the conference considered the position of the National Ombudsman in the Dutch system of government and the relationship with the three state powers (the legislative, executive and judiciary) and the other High Councils of State. Also considered were more operational issues and the obstacles the Ombudsman faces in daily practice.
More information about this event is available (in Dutch) here.
