October 2017

October 2017

The Indissoluble Unity of the Spanish Nation . . . and the European Union?

MJIL Blog /

By Lara Williams, Staff Member Following an emergency cabinet meeting last week, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy detailed plans to apply Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution in Catalonia, escalating the country’s most serious constitutional crisis since the restoration of democracy in 1977.[1] The article, that has never before been used, enables the central government […]

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Cautious Optimism for Somali Sexual Assault and Rape Reform

MJIL Blog /

By Abigail Hencheck, Staff Member Somalia does not have a great reputation for women’s rights. It hasn’t ratified the Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)[1], women only marginally participate in politics[2], and structural barriers often prevent women from enforcing their property rights.[3] Most infamously, Somali women receive very little

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Labor Reforms Spur Up in France in the Wake of High Unemployment Rates

MJIL Blog /

By Hadley Simonett, Staff Member On August 31, 2017, France’s President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to reform the Code du Travail, France’s contested labor laws.[1] Macron, accompanied by Labour Minister Muriel Pénicaud, and government spokesman Christophe Castaner signed five decrees on September 22, 2017, implementing thirty-six changes to France’s labor law.[2]  By adopting the Ordinances,

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The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance: Varying International Standards on Juvenile Responsibility

MJIL Blog /

By Rebecca Rosefelt, Staff Member Childhood is a relatively new concept,[1] and juvenile justice systems like those in Western democracies gained steam with the industrial revolution.[2] However, one issue has been of contention since at least the fifth century: at what age does society hold a person criminally liable?[3] Standards still vary across the globe,

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Decaying Center: Germany’s Election Results and its Consequences for Europe

MJIL Blog /

By Robby Dube, Staff Member Over the past decade, the European Continent has seen a surge in populist parties; the far left Syriza in Greece, the isolationist United Kingdom Independence Party (“UKIP”), and the nationalist National Front in France have all seen substantial success in recent years.[i] In the Federal Republic of Germany (“Germany”), however,

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