The 1st Basel Conference “Judiciary” of 2021 had dealt with judicial independence and separation of powers. These are prerequisites for guaranteeing fundamental and human rights and are thus important pillars of the democratic constitutional state. The conference gave an overview of what it takes for this balance to be right, and where, by what means and in what way the balance is disturbed, and it was discussed what can be done against the various threats to these premises of the rule of law.

The 2nd session followed on from this. It discussed the direction in which the situation of the judiciary has developed in the past year, what measures have been taken and where there is still – or new – need for action.

In the first part of the conference, former European supreme court judges who are academically active in international law explained how judicial independence and separation of powers are guaranteed in their (former) courts today and for the future, and what conclusions can be drawn from this with a view to Europe.

In the second part, renowned speakers dealt with the question of how the strengthening of judicial independence should and can continue in Switzerland after the rejection of the justice initiative. Once again, a “view from outside” contributed to the information and discussion in Switzerland.

Both parts were deepened and concluded with a panel discussion, in which the participants of the conference were also included.

The conference “Judicial Independence and Separation of Powers in Europe and Switzerland: Need and Possibilities for Action” was organised by the Basel Law Faculty in cooperation with the Swiss Institute for the Judiciary.

The conference was aimed at lawyers, politicians and others interested in the organisation of the democratic constitutional state and the judiciary.