Abstract

This article analyzes the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) from the perspective of the recent extraordinary wave of populism in Europe. It argues that populism poses a serious and distinctive challenge to the ECtHR since supranational judicial review is at odds with the populist ideology. What makes the populist challenge distinctive is the combination of the ideological basis of populism, its wide appeal and capacity to reach ordinary people, and populists’ tendency to remove limitations on their power. With respect to the last point, the article introduces a categorization of anti-court techniques and takes stock of the ECtHR’s institutional setting. It concludes that although the situation is not perfect—the budget and judicial selection are especially problematic—the ECtHR is rather well insulated from eventual attacks targeting its structural features or the judicial personnel. However, including the ECtHR in the “narrative of blame,” populism is very strong in another anti-court strategy—achieving gradual erosion of a court through delegitimization. That is particularly threatening for the ECtHR due to its vulnerability to legitimacy challenges manifested in the past decade. As a result, the populist challenge will likely require careful management of the ECtHR’s social legitimacy.

中文翻译：

---

民粹主义对欧洲人权法院的挑战

摘要

本文从欧洲最近民粹主义浪潮的角度分析了欧洲人权法院（ECtHR）。它认为，由于超国家司法审查与民粹主义意识形态背道而驰，民粹主义对欧洲人权法院提出了严峻而独特的挑战。使民粹主义挑战与众不同的是民粹主义的意识形态基础，其广泛的吸引力和影响普通民众的能力，以及民粹主义者消除其权力限制的倾向的结合。关于最后一点，本文介绍了反法院技术的分类，并评估了ECtHR的机构设置。结论是，尽管情况并不完美-预算和司法选择尤其成问题-ECtHR与最终针对其结构特征或司法人员的攻击完全隔离。但是，将ECtHR包括在“非议事状”中，民粹主义在另一种反法院策略中非常强大-通过非合法化逐步侵蚀法院。由于欧洲人权法院在过去十年中表现出的合法性挑战的脆弱性，这对欧洲人权法院尤其构成威胁。结果，民粹主义的挑战很可能需要对ECtHR的社会合法性进行认真的管理。在另一种反法院策略中，民粹主义非常强大-通过非合法化逐步侵蚀法院。由于欧洲人权法院在过去十年中表现出的合法性挑战的脆弱性，这对欧洲人权法院尤其构成威胁。结果，民粹主义的挑战很可能需要对ECtHR的社会合法性进行认真的管理。在另一种反法院策略中，民粹主义非常强大-通过非合法化逐步侵蚀法院。由于欧洲人权法院在过去十年中表现出的合法性挑战的脆弱性，这对欧洲人权法院尤其构成威胁。结果，民粹主义的挑战很可能需要对ECtHR的社会合法性进行认真的管理。