Constitutional Questions of the Situational Legitimate Defence

This study examines the problems surrounding legitimate defence as an institution of criminal law, as it is regulated by the Hungarian legislator, in an international and comparative law perspective. It further examines the compatibility of the current regulation with the requirements of the Fundamental Law of Hungary as well as the practice of the Constitutional Court. The author concludes that the pertinent text of Section 22, para. (2) of the Hungarian Criminal Code seems to be unconstitutional, rendering the wide scope of legitimate defence in comparison to the requirements of proportionality as objectionable.