Part II Institutions, s.2 Further Institutions of the Council of Europe as a Whole, 9 European Court of Human Rights

Subject(s):

Democracy — Responsibility of international organizations — Rule of law

This chapter reflects on the origin and development of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), before concentrating on its activities and case law as well as on the consequences of its judgments. The ECtHR has probably become the most famous, important, but at the same time criticised organ of the Council of Europe (CoE). Its importance and role have considerably increased throughout the years as a consequence of the enlargement of the Member States parties to the CoE. At the same time, the enlargement, which is one of the main reasons for the current overwhelming of the Court, has put more pressure on the Court and so has weakened the judicial organ. Consequently it has opened the path for many reflections and a certain number of reforms in order to adapt the Court to its new environment.