Lived Experiences of Constitutional Judges Navigating Judicial Independence Under Political Pressure
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Abstract
Judicial independence is a cornerstone of constitutional democracy, ensuring impartiality and justice in the interpretation of law. Within the field of Constitutional and Administrative Law, understanding independence as a lived experience—rather than a procedural ideal—remains underexplored, particularly in contexts where political influence challenges judicial integrity. This study explores how constitutional judges experience and interpret judicial independence under political pressure using an interpretative phenomenological approach (IPA). Findings reveal that independence is a continuous moral and emotional process rooted in conscience, reflection, and professional resilience. Through thematic analysis of interviews with eight constitutional judges, four themes emerged—ethical conflict, emotional burden, institutional mechanisms, and reflexive identity—illustrating that independence is sustained through moral awareness rather than structural protection. The study contributes to a human-centered understanding of constitutional justice by framing judicial independence as an existential and ethical practice.
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