03 February 2026, MPIL Heidelberg

Democracy Under Stress in the Inter-American System was the central theme of the 20th ICCAL Seminar, held in December 2025 at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law (MPIL) in Heidelberg. The seminar provided a space for in depth reflection on democratic resilience, constitutionalism, and human rights in Latin America.

Organized within the framework of the Ius Constitutionale Commune en América Latina (ICCAL) project, the event brought together judges of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and leading scholars in public law and international law. The discussions focused on how legal institutions can respond to democratic backsliding, institutional fragility, and increasing social inequality across the region.

A key theme throughout the seminar was the close relationship between democracy, the rule of law, and human rights. Participants emphasized that the challenges facing the Democracy Under Stress Inter-American System require sustained dialogue between courts, academia, and civil society. This interaction was presented as a central element of transformative constitutionalism in Latin America.

Several interventions examined the evolving relationship between the Inter-American System and the United Nations, particularly in contexts marked by political instability, environmental crises, and global governance challenges. Speakers also highlighted the importance of judicial reasoning, transnational legal dialogue, and institutional continuity in strengthening democratic resilience.

The newly released video recap offers a concise overview of these discussions and provides direct access to the key arguments presented during the seminar. It serves as a valuable resource for researchers, practitioners, and students interested in the future of the Inter-American System and the role of law in times of democratic stress.

By revisiting the main ideas discussed during the seminar, the video reinforces ICCAL’s long term commitment to a common constitutional framework grounded in human rights, judicial cooperation, and democratic governance.