Chapter 5: Investigative committees and inquisitional rights

This chapter summarizes current constitutional design regarding investigative committees and inquisitorial rights. It is based on the review of national constitutions and seeks to establish a common ground for writing and amending constitutions. Subject and scope of the investigation and the composition of the committee are assessed. The power of the committee is based on the rights and limits of investigation delegated to it as well as its interplay with the judiciary. Constitutional clauses relating to the rights of questioning and the right of interpellation form the basis of the traditional inquisitorial rights within parliament and are broken down into segments such as written inquiries, regular question time, enforcement mechanisms, initiation thresholds for interpellation and the duty to personally attend. This chapter forms part of Vol. I of Writing Constitutions.

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-94602-9_5