Diritto Pubblico Comparato ed Europeo

Sommario

1. Origini ed evoluzione storica dell’istituto. – 2.1. Disciplina costituzionale e legislativa: il versante costituzionale. – 2.2. Il versante legislativo. – 3. Le funzioni. – 3.1. Il ruolo del Difensore nella tutela individuale dei diritti. – 3.2. Profili erga omnes delle funzioni del Difensore. – 4. Prime parziali conclusioni.

Abstract

This article investigates the genesis of the Ombudsman Office in the context of the intense institutional change which took place in Poland during the late Eighties, then focuses on its evolution until the enactment of a new democratic Constitution in 1997 and thereafter. Much attention is given to both constitutional and legislative rules on the subject, stressing the different perspectives on which each of the two acts concentrates most (the Constitution on structural aspects, i.e. appointment, term of office, guarantees etc., the legislative act on functions, activities and proceedings). As far as the latter are concerned, the article underlines the potential resources of this institution, bearing in mind that it lacks the real coercion powers of a State authority, and distinguishes between the procedures that are provided for, in human rights protection, when individual or collective actions are being discussed. In this perspective, the importance of cooperation with the Constitutional Tribunal could not be overestimated.