The effectiveness and legitimacy of the Council of Europe can be undermined by the actions of Member States which fail to comply with their international law obligations of genuine cooperation with the organization. This article first briefly examines the practice of international organizations in applying sanctions such as expulsion and suspension to their members. It then explains why it is necessary to discuss potential sanctions that the Council can apply in the context of current controversies involving the Council and Member States. It will be argued that the scale and intensity of challenges distinguish the current state of affairs from other ‘problematic’ periods in the Council's history. It proceeds to outline the considerations that should be taken into account in deciding whether a Member State should be suspended or expelled. These considerations include the implications of sanctions on the legitimacy of the Council of Europe, the level of human rights protection and the financial stability of the organization.

No abstract

No abstract

This series provides a forum for the publication of high-quality monographs that take innovative, contextual, and inter-or multi-disciplinary approaches to legal history. It brings legal history to a wider audience by exploring the history of law as part of a broader social, intellectual, cultural, literary, or economic context. Its focus is on modern British and Imperial legal history (post 1750), but within that time frame engages with the widest possible range of subject areas.More information about this series at

It is commonly thought that the Weimar Constitution had little influence in the common law world. This article traces the translation of the Weimar Constitution in the Irish context, and demonstrates its importance in the drafting of the Irish Free State Constitution of 1922 and the Irish Constitution of 1937. It specifically looks at the way in which translation occurred in relation to the Directive Principles of Social Policy. The translation of the Irish Constitution into the South Asian context is analysed, with a particular focus on India.