An institution cannot be the author of a rule, a party to the dispute and the final judge of its own conduct.
Organizations need room to make political choices. Members can support or reject those choices through elections. But a dispute about whether the organization followed its own constitution is different.
When the same leadership writes the interpretation, defends its own action and controls the appeal, the rule has stopped functioning as protection. A constitution requires an independent referee with a narrow mandate and published reasons.
The constitutional line
- Political choices remain with elected bodies
- Procedural disputes go to an independent body
- Every affected member receives notice and a chance to respond
- Decisions cite the rule and explain the remedy
A rule that depends on the goodwill of the person it limits is not yet a rule.
