Prof David Bilchitz has been elected unanimously as a Vice-President of the International Association of Constitutional Law (IACL) at the first online meeting of its Executive Committee on 10 June 2020. The IACL is a global network of constitutional lawyers dedicated to advancing the field of constitutional law through encouraging constitutionalists from all parts of the world to understand each other’s systems, explain and reflect on their own, and engage in fruitful comparison.
The IACL Executive Committee is comprised of distinguished jurists from around the world. Its decision to elect Prof Bilchitz Vice-President follows his standing down as the Secretary-General of the IACL. Prof Bilchitz held that position now for over 7 years – he was initially elected to become acting Secretary-General in April 2013. He was confirmed as the Secretary-General of the Association by the Council of the IACL in June 2014 and elected for a second term in June 2018.
Prof Bilchitz explained the reason for his decision to stand down as Secretary-General:
‘In 2017, the IACL awarded the bid to organise the World Congress of Constitutional Law in the week of December 5-9 2022 to the Faculty of Law, University of Johannesburg. The World Congress will bring constitutional law academics from around the world to South Africa and, significantly, this is the first time this Congress will be held on African soil. I will be leading the local organizing team which will be a large undertaking: I have thus decided to relinquish my significant responsibilities as Secretary-General so as to focus at this point on the exciting and important task of organizing the next World Congress’.
The IACL office-bearers engaged in an extensive process to find a successor to Prof Bilchitz. Prof Bilchitz said: ‘It was a great privilege to serve the IACL for many years as its Secretary-General and I wish my successor well in her new task. It was a position where I met some of the great constitutional lawyers in our world and had the pleasure of working with many distinguished academics. I am honored that the Executive Committee saw fit to elect me as a Vice-President of the Association. I look forward from now on to serving the association in that capacity and in organizing the next World Congress’.
