Introductory Note to the European Court of Human Rights: Mouvement Raelien Suisse v. Switzerland

In Mouvement Raelien Suisse v. Switzerland, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights addressed the issue of freedom of expression in public spaces for the first time, accepting that Member States have a broad margin of appreciation in this field, especially in respect of non- political discourse. This case affects sensitive issues, such as content-based restrictions on freedom of speech and the protection of minorities under the European Convention of Human Rights. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this judgment proved very divisive: eight out the seventeen judges that compose the GC voted against the judgment and annexed lengthy dissenting opinions.