Features of the German Model of Judicial Review of the Legality of the Exercise of Discretionary Powers by Public Authorities

The article analyses the German model of judicial review of administrative discretion exercised by public authorities. The purpose of the study is to identify the normative and institutional features that ensure the model’s functioning within a rule-of-law framework and under the imperative of protecting fundamental rights. The methodological basis includes comparative-legal, systemic, and functional approaches, together with an examination of doctrinal scholarship and the case law of the Federal Administrative Court and the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany. The analysis focuses on key components of German administrative law: the principle of proportionality, the concept of «bound discretion,» and the doctrine of «reducing discretion to zero.» These categories illustrate how German law achieves a balance between legality, administrative efficiency, and the protection of subjective rights. The study demonstrates that the German model is characterised by a high degree of normative regulation, a well-developed system of administrative procedures, and institutional stability in judicial practice. Judicial review of discretionary powers is limited to examining their legality and does not extend to matters of administrative expediency. Nevertheless, the jurisprudence of higher administrative courts plays an active role in shaping standards for permissible state intervention, giving judicial review a function of institutional correction of executive authority. Special attention is devoted to comparing the German and French models, revealing conceptual differences in the role of the judiciary and the permissible scope of administrative discretion. Whereas the French system places greater emphasis on expediency review, the German model prioritizes legality and procedural guarantees. The conclusions highlight the value of the German experience for the Russian legal system. The absence of a codified law on administrative procedures in Russia makes it necessary to adopt certain elements of the German model, particularly the formalization of discretion-limiting criteria and the institutional strengthening of judicial review. The practical importance of the study lies in the potential applicability of German solutions to improve Russian administrative-procedural law and enhance legal protection of individuals.

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