The continuing legacy of the Magna Carta

The Magna Carta was a document designed to establish peace between the rather unpopular King John of England and a group of rebel barons. Yet this piece of thirteenth-century English domestic politics still resonates around the world eight hundred years on from the events which forged it. For in establishing that no one, even the King, is above the law, the Magna Carta was a forerunner of the concept of executive accountability and stands as a pillar of liberty, for example in establishing that right or justice will be denied or delayed to nobody.

On this, the 800^th anniversary of the Magna Carta, the British Embassy organised last month with The Inner Temple a seminar in Bucharest exploring the continuing legacy of this “Great Charter” in both Romania and Britain. The Inner Temple is one of the four professional associations for barristers, known as Inns of Court, in England and Wales. I was delighted to learn that the first Romanian member of The Inner Temple, called to the Bar in England in 1922, was the very distinguished Prince Constantin Karadja. He served Romania as a diplomat, and his greatest legacy was his work in saving thousands of Jews from extermination in Nazi-held Europe. The event was organised with the help of Adelina Brad, a Romanian who has followed in Karadja’s footsteps at The Inner Temple.

We were delighted to be able to welcome to the grand venue of the Bucharest Central University Library the President of Romania, His Excellency Klaus Iohannis, who spoke about achievements and ongoing challenges in rule of law issues in Romania, including the importance of parliament and the responsibilities of its members. Patrick Maddams, Sub-Treasurer of The Inner Temple, reminded us that economic prosperity issues also featured prominently in the Magna Carta, in exploring the important linkages between the rule of law and prosperity. Baroness Deech of Cumnor covered from a British perspective the crucial theme of the role of parliament in maintaining the rule of law, and Professor Sir Geoffrey Nice tested the evolving methodology of war-crimes prosecutions against the essence of the “Great Charter”.

Magna Carta event in Bucharest – photo gallery

The essence of the Magna Carta also underpinned contributions from Professor Iulia Motoc, who had kindly flown in from Strasbourg for the event, in the context of decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, and from Laura Andrei, the President of the Bucharest Tribunal, in that of the new Romanian Civil and Criminal Codes. And in discussions during our reception after the formal part of the event, I was fascinated to learn from University of Bucharest PhD student Liana Ionita that some of the ideas and provisions of the Freedom Charter from Bucharest, adopted in Wallachia in 1631, are directly traceable to the Magna Carta.

Eight hundred years on, the Magna Carta serves both a source of pride for the United Kingdom and also as an important spur to ensure that the protection of individual liberties stand at the heart of modern-day decision making around the world.