Town Hall

Democracy in France and America With Justice Stephen Breyer and Minister Christiane Taubira

May 15, 2025

The Honorable Stephen G. Breyer, associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (ret.) and National Constitution Center honorary co-chair, joins Christiane Taubira, former French justice minister, for a conversation on democracy, the rule of law, and constitutional traditions from French and American perspectives. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates. Translation is provided by Nicholas Elliott.

This program is presented in partnership with Villa Albertine’s series, Democracy in an Age of Uncertainty: French and American Perspectives. The series is made possible by the generous support of the Judy and Peter Blum Kovler Foundation.

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Participants

Christiane Taubira is a prominent French politician, writer, and former Minister of Justice. She served in the National Assembly (1993–2012) and the European Parliament (1994–1999), and in 2001, authored the law recognizing slavery as a crime against humanity. As Justice Minister (2012–2016), she led major reforms. A committed voice for justice and culture, she is also the author of several acclaimed books.

Stephen G. Breyer is a former associate justice of the Supreme Court who served there for 28 years until retiring in 2022. He also serves as honorary co-chair of the National Constitution Center’s Board of Trustees. He is the author of several books, including The Court and the World: American Law and the New Global Realities and The Authority of the Court and the Peril of Politics. His most recent book is Reading the Constitution: Why I Chose Pragmatism, Not Textualism.

Jeffrey Rosen is the president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization devoted to educating the public about the U.S. Constitution. Rosen is also professor of law at The George Washington University Law School and a contributing editor of The Atlantic.

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