Abstract
The fall of the Berlin Wall created the illusion of both the reunification of what once belonged together, and the overcoming of the division between Eastern and Western Europe. The ideas of Western-style constitutionalism triumphed in all the constitutions of the states of Central and Eastern Europe. Everywhere, there was a rush to codify the common constitutional heritage. However, this adoption of abstract notions masked a very different reality and a rapid reassessment of values, in particular those of " rule of law " and " democracy ". In retrospect, we must ask ourselves whether the idea of a common pan-European tradition was an illusion, or whether it was the historical circumstances of the end of the century that led to a multitude of misunderstandings.
