Constitutional Reform 2008 in Austria

ICOLE 2008, Lessach, Austria

Reform of Severance Pay Law in Austria

In 2002, Austria has reformed its severance pay legislation. In the new system (Abfertigung Neu) individual savings accounts are managed by so-called employee provision funds (“Mitarbeitervorsorgekassen”). The system is funded by employers via a monthly untaxed payment of 1.53 % of gross wages. Accumulated entitlements rest in the employee’s account until retirement, unless the work contract ha...

PACIFIC CURRENTS The Quest for Constitutional Reform in Tonga

Tonga’s constitution was originally a liberal, 19th century document that economically combined popular representation and aristocratic direction in a unicameral vehicle instead of the conventional bicameral legislature. Subsequent amendments strengthened the executive, and the greatest of all, in 1914, significantly reduced representation of both nobles and people. The configuration of power s...

Constitutional Reform in the English - Speaking Caribbean : Challenges and Prospects

INTRODUCTION Constitutional laws of countries in the English-speaking Caribbean (ESC) have changed very little, at least in relative terms, since the independence of these countries. Nevertheless, the institutional and political environment of the ESC presents some unique challenges to constitutional reform in the contemporary era. This paper examines the constitutional trajectory of these coun...

Assessing how far Charter 88 and the constitutional reform coalition influenced voting system reform in Britain

Lead in large part by Charter 88 and the Scottish Constitutional Convention, the activities of the constitutional reform movement since the early 1990s have clearly helped to introduce new proportional voting systems into UK politics. Yet, at the same time, the Labour governments after 1997decisively rejected voting reform for the House of Commons and dragged out Lords reform to prevent any dir...