The anti-judicial face of constitutional democracy: populist, political, and popular challenges to liberal constitutionalism

Political and popular varieties of constitutionalism can be considered the main foes of judicial constitutionalism to critique judicial supremacy and dualist democracy. Nevertheless, the rise of populism has introduced a third, anti-judicial and openly illiberal model of constitutionalism. This article addresses these three anti-judicial varieties of constitutionalism by offering a comparative analysis to outline their prerogatives and show differences and incompatibilities among them. After a profile of the three varieties, the final section will compare them to suggest that populist scepticism to liberal democracy can be compared but not conflated with political and popular criticisms to judicial supremacy.

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Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Political Power
Published
2025-09-22
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/2158379x.2025.2554179
Primary Topic
Judicial and Constitutional Studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

The anti-judicial face of constitutional democracy: populist, political, and popular challenges to liberal constitutionalism

Valerio Fabbrizi
Journal of Political Power
Judicial and Constitutional Studies
article

The anti-judicial face of constitutional democracy: populist, political, and popular challenges to liberal constitutionalism

Valerio Fabbrizi
article en

Abstract

Political and popular varieties of constitutionalism can be considered the main foes of judicial constitutionalism to critique judicial supremacy and dualist democracy. Nevertheless, the rise of populism has introduced a third, anti-judicial and openly illiberal model of constitutionalism. This article addresses these three anti-judicial varieties of constitutionalism by offering a comparative analysis to outline their prerogatives and show differences and incompatibilities among them. After a profile of the three varieties, the final section will compare them to suggest that populist scepticism to liberal democracy can be compared but not conflated with political and popular criticisms to judicial supremacy.

Journal of Political PowerVol. 19(1)
University of Rome Tor Vergata (IT)
Openalex Percentile: Top 60%
Judicial and Constitutional Studies
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