Study Programmes 2016-2017
WARNING : 2015-2016 version of the course specifications
SPOL2339-1  
Administrative law and public action
  • Administrative law
  • Power and public action
Duration :
Administrative law : 45h Th, 15h Pr
Power and public action : 15h Th
Number of credits :
Bachelor in political sciences : general6
Master in law, professional focus in law and management5
Master in political sciences : general (120 ECTS)6
Master in political sciences : general (60 ECTS)6
Bachelor in human and social sciences6
Lecturer :
Administrative law : Ann Lawrence Durviaux
Power and public action : Geoffrey Grandjean
Coordinator :
Geoffrey Grandjean
Language(s) of instruction :
French language
Organisation and examination :
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite :
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents :
Power and public action
While some authors have observed an "expansion of the administrative area" in our contemporary societies, others underline the "erosion of the authority" accorded to public services. However, administrative law does seem to restrain political players, at all levels of power. In order to confirm this premise, the Power and public action part aims to introduce students to the study and analysis of certain types of interaction between legal standards and political play. For the academic year 2016-2017, two particular themes relating to the Walloon Region have been selected: on the one hand, the limitation of multiple office-holding and, on the other hand, communal electoral disputes. These two issues have been chosen for two fundamental reasons: firstly, they involve the intervention of multiple public authorities (Walloon Parliament, Walloon Government, Council of State, Constitutional Court and  Communal Colleges) allowing students to study and analyse the political games. Secondly, based on legislative standards, political players have been forced to consider the consequences of their actions, in terms of administrative law.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit :
Power and public action
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
  • understand the legislative standards governing the limitation of multiple office-holding and communal electoral disputes (based on legal standards and parliamentary documents);
  • study and analyse the political play between public authorities (based on the decisions of the Council of State and the Constitutional Court);
  • study and analyse the consequences of the political players' actions in terms of administrative law, both in relation to the limitation of multiple office-holding (internal organisation of the Walloon Parliament, lack of executive power at a local or regional level, etc.), and communal electoral disputes (organisation of elections, compliance with the procedure, electronic voting, etc.).
Prerequisite knowledge and skills :
Power and public action
Students must attend the Administrative Law part.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods :
Power and public action
The learning activities and teaching methods are as follows:
  • Lectures based on "La limitation du cumul de mandats par les députés wallons" and "Le décret décumul et le Parlement wallon" (see required reading);
  • A lecture given by a guest speaker;
  • Reading and analysing documents compiled in the Pouvoir et action publique syllabus (see required reading). For this purpose, students are asked to read certain documents before each class.
Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :
Power and public action
Face-to-face.
Recommended or required readings :
Power and public action
Compulsory reading: Grandjean Geoffrey, "La limitation du cumul de mandats par les députés wallons", Courrier hebdomadaire du CRISP, 2015, no. 2255-2256, 97 p. Grandjean Geoffrey et Janssens Frédéric, "Le décret décumul et le Parlement wallon", Administration publique, 2016, no. 2, pp. 115-129. Grandjean Geoffrey, Pouvoir et action publique, Liège, Presses Universitaires de Liège, 2016-2017, available online: http://hdl.handle.net/2268/201264.
Assessment methods and criteria :
Power and public action
The assessment consists of an oral exam. During this exam, students are asked to answer a comprehension and analysis question relating to the themes selected within the framework of the course. There is no preparation time for the question. The following criteria are applied to the assessment: 1) understanding the legislative standards governing the limitation of multiple office-holding and communal electoral disputes, 2) analysis of the political play based on these legislative standards, and 3) analysis of the consequences of the political players' actions in terms of administrative law. For the oral exam, students can refer to the compulsory texts and their personal notes.
Work placement(s) :
Organizational remarks :
Power and public action
The course is held every year
Contacts :
Power and public action
Prof. Dr Geoffrey Grandjean Lecturer Faculté de Droit, de Science Politique et de Criminologie Place des Orateurs, 3 4000 LIEGE Box 11 Office r. 16 Tel.: +32 (0)4/366.96.60 Email: Geoffrey.Grandjean@ulg.ac.be
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