Constitutions, Rights and Judges in the Scenario of European Integration (University of Naples Federico II - 12 October 2022)

Abstract

"Every society has a constitution. It is like saying that every vertebrate has a spine”. The constitution, therefore, represents the somatic features of a state, the values and spirit of a community. This justifies today a reflection on the Constitution, which is also a journey into our community. The community is governed by rules, which pertain to the 'living flesh of society' (P. Grossi). And - as we shall see - the rules that govern coexistence are primarily based on 'recognised dignity', taken as an axiom (according to its Greek etymon: axios). If the rules are not there, there is no coexistence; if the rules that are there, if dignity, are violated, society is therefore stripped bare.