We all stand together: The role of the association of asian constitutional courts and equivalent institutions in promoting constitutionalism

DE VISSER, Maartje, Singapore Management University

Abstract

This article criticallyevaluates the interplay among courts with constitutional jurisdiction in Asia.This is done in the specific context of the Association of Asian ConstitutionalCourts and Equivalent Institutions (AACC). It finds that the AACC has to-datemade only a nominal contribution to cultivating inter-court relations infurtherance of common goals and advances the claim that its members ought torectify this state of affairs. On the one hand, transnational judicialalliances have instrumental value for participating courts in the discharge oftheir mandate. On the other hand, the AACC can be a useful conduit in nurturingan Asian perspective to the global judicial discourse on constitutional issues.In that vein, the article identifies the most suitable means to enable the AACCto optimally discharge its role to help advance respect for democracy, the ruleof law, and human rights in the region.