UvA-DARE (Digital Academic Repository) The legal governance of historical memory and the rule of law Bán, M. Publication date 2020 Document Version Final published version License Other Link to publication Citation for published version (APA): Bán, M. (2020). The legal governance of historical memory and the rule of law. General rights It is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), other than for strictly personal, individual use, unless the work is under an open content license (like Creative Commons). Disclaimer/Complaints regulations If you believe that digital publication of certain material infringes any of your rights or (privacy) interests, please let the Library know, stating your reasons. In case of a legitimate complaint, the Library will make the material inaccessible and/or remove it from the website. Please Ask the Library: https://uba.uva.nl/en/contact, or a letter to: Library of the University of Amsterdam, Secretariat, Singel 425, 1012 WP Amsterdam, The Netherlands. You will be contacted as soon as possible. UvA-DARE is a service provided by the library of the University of Amsterdam (https://dare.uva.nl) Download date:07 Oct 2021 The Legal Governance of Historical Memory and the Rule of Law ACADEMISCH PROEFSCHRIFT ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor aan de Universiteit van Amsterdam op gezag van de Rector Magnificus prof. dr. ir. K.I.J. Maex ten overstaan van een door het College voor Promoties ingestelde commissie, in het openbaar te verdedigen in de Agnietenkapel op woensdag 21 oktober 2020, te 13.00 uur door Marina Bán geboren te Budapest Promotiecommissie Promotor: prof. dr. mr. J.E. Nijman Universiteit van Amsterdam Copromotor: dr. U. Belavusau Universiteit van Amsterdam Overige leden: prof. dr. A.H.M. De Baets Rijksuniversiteit Groningen prof. dr. Y.M. Donders Universiteit van Amsterdam prof. dr. G. Halmai European University Institute prof. dr. E.M.H. Hirsch Ballin Universiteit van Amsterdam dr. N. Tromp Universiteit van Amsterdam Faculteit der Rechtsgeleerdheid ii Table of Contents Abbreviations ......................................................................................................................... viii Chapter 1 .................................................................................................................................... 9 General Introduction: States’ Treatment of Their Past and its Effect on the Rule of Law ........ 9 1.1 The Rise of the Legal Governance of Historical Memory ............................................. 10 1.2 The Crisis of the Rule of Law in Europe ........................................................................ 14 1.3 Missing Connection between the Legal Governance of Historical Memory and the Rule of Law ................................................................................................................................... 18 1.4 Research Question: The Effect of the Legal Governance of Historical Memory on the Rule of Law .......................................................................................................................... 23 1.5 Claim: Nature and Extent of the Legal Governance of Historical Memory’s Effect on the Rule of Law .................................................................................................................... 24 1.6 Legal Governance of Historical Memory in the European Context ............................... 26 1.6.1. The Council of Europe and Its Influence through ECtHR Judgments .................... 27 1.6.2 The European Union and its Memory Framework .................................................. 33 1.7 National Case Studies ..................................................................................................... 43 1.8 Thesis Structure .............................................................................................................. 45 Chapter 2 .................................................................................................................................. 46 Scope of Research: From Memory Laws to Legal Governance of Historical Memory .......... 46 2.1 The Origins of Memory Laws ........................................................................................ 47 2.2 Taxonomy of Memory Governance Sources .................................................................. 51 2.3 State Approaches to Memory Governance ..................................................................... 53 2.3.1 The Self-Inculpatory Approach to Memory Governance ........................................ 54 2.3.1.1 Prohibiting Genocide Denialism: Germany ....................................................... 54 2.3.1.2 Transitional Justice: Spain ................................................................................. 57 2.3.2 The Self-Exculpatory Approach to Memory Governance ....................................... 59 2.3.2.1 Criminalizing Dissent: Poland ........................................................................... 59 2.3.2.2 Memory Wars and Mnemonic Security: Russia and Ukraine ........................... 60 2.4 Beyond Memory Laws: The Legal Governance of Historical Memory ......................... 64 Chapter 3 .................................................................................................................................. 67 Analytical Framework: The Rule of Law in Europe ............................................................... 67 3.1 The Rule of Law as Analytical Framework.................................................................... 68 3.2 Conceptions of the Rule of Law ..................................................................................... 69 3.2.1 Formal v Substantive Conceptions ........................................................................... 70 3.2.2 The Role of States and International Organizations in Conceptualizing the Rule of Law .................................................................................................................................... 72 3.3 The Rule of Law in this Research .................................................................................. 76 iii 3.3.1 Legality..................................................................................................................... 77 3.3.1.1 Definitions of Legality ....................................................................................... 78 3.3.1.2 Legality and the Legal Governance of Historical Memory ............................... 79 3.3.2 Equality before the Law ........................................................................................... 80 3.3.2.1 Definitions of Equality before the Law ............................................................. 81 3.3.2.2 Equality before the Law and the Legal Governance of Historical Memory ...... 83 3.3.3 Impartiality of the Judiciary ..................................................................................... 85 3.3.3.1 Definitions of Judicial Impartiality .................................................................... 86 3.3.3.2 Impartiality of the Judiciary and the Legal Governance of Historical Memory 88 3.3.4 Protection of Fundamental Rights ............................................................................ 89 3.3.4.1 Freedom of Expression ...................................................................................... 91 3.3.4.2 Freedom of Association and Assembly ............................................................. 95 3.3.4.3 Human Dignity................................................................................................... 96 3.4 The Effects of the Rule of Law on the Legal Governance of Historical Memory ...... 99 3.5 Concluding Remarks and Questions for the Case Studies ........................................ 101 Chapter 4 ................................................................................................................................ 103 Case Study 1: The Legal Governance of Historical Memory and the Rule of Law in France ................................................................................................................................................ 103 4.1 Why France? ................................................................................................................. 104 4.2 Context around the Legal Governance of Historical Memory in France ..................... 106 4.2.1 Socio-Political Situation since the 1990s ............................................................... 106 4.2.2 Controversial Historical Issues and the Mobilization of Historians and Civil Society in Debate ......................................................................................................................... 108 4.2.3 Overview and Classification of French Memory Governance Sources ................. 116 4.2.3.1 History in French Constitutions ....................................................................... 116 4.2.3.2 Memory Laws and Ostensibly Legal Measures ............................................... 118 4.2.4 The Legal Governance of Historical Memory in France vis-à-vis the Standards of the European Institutions ................................................................................................. 122 4.3 Rule of Law Analysis ................................................................................................... 124 3.3.1 The Rule of Law in France ....................................................................................