Sobre los límites a la reelección

Una interesante reflexión (en inglés) sobre los problemas constitucionales que afectarían a una medida que limita la reelección de autoridades públicas. El contexto es la provincia de Alberta en Canadá que es un régimen parlamentario. Eso hace que las razones deban ser puestas en contexto. Sin embargo, hay similitudes con lo que he planteado anteriormente referente a la discusión chilena (ver aquí: El limite a la reeleccion).

Legislative and Executive Term Limits in Alberta  

–Richard Albert, Boston College Law SchoolAn important race is underway in Alberta, one of Canada’s ten provinces. In September, paid-up members of the Progressive Conservative Party will elect a new party leader, and the new leader will become the premier of Alberta.One of the candidates, Jim Prentice, a former federal Cabinet minister and a lawyer by training, has pledged to impose legislative and executive term limits if he becomes premier. Under his plan, provincial members of parliament (MLAs) will be limited to three terms, and premiers to two.Prentice argues that term limits are good for democracy:It’s very democratic … it ensures that people stay grounded. There’s no reason someone can’t take a time-out and return to public life but it ensures turnover. It ensures our democratic process remains dynamic, innovative and creative. I’ve always believed in it.Legislative and executive term limits may be a great idea but they are very likely unconstitutional, at least in Canada. In this short post, I explore why.There are at least three problems with the term limits proposal: two are constitutional and one is operational.