In his PhD trajectory, Esteban Szmulewicz presented at a seminar titled ‘Challenges of representative and participatory constitution-making: insights from the recent Chilean processes.’ The seminar was attended by colleagues affiliated with the Institute in Warsaw, along with other Polish academics, and participants online as well.
During the presentation, various topics were discussed, including citizen participation, gender parity, the crisis of representative institutions, political polarization and radicalization, as well as the problems of deliberation revealed during constitution-making. The approach taken was comparative, as these challenges are common to many countries attempting to introduce constitutional reform, such as Poland and the Netherlands.
The sharing of experiences and perspectives from different contexts allowed for a richer understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the field of constitution-making. Overall, the seminar provided a platform for meaningful discussions on the complexities and obstacles faced in constitution-making processes. The valuable insights gained from this event can help those involved in similar endeavors in different countries navigate these challenges more effectively.