The Randstad, Netherlands
I research how constitutional democracy adapts to defence, integration, and information challenges. My work focuses on the legal and institutional foundations of European security cooperation and the conditions under which democratic states can share or exercise sovereign powers while preserving parliamentary control and the rule of law. I am currently pursuing a PhD on the constitutional conditions for establishing a European Union armed force, and I lecture on Armed Forces and Constitutional Law at the University of Amsterdam and the Netherlands Defence Academy. My research examines how national constitutional frameworks respond to evolving defence structures, with particular attention to sovereignty, democratic legitimacy, and institutional accountability. Before returning to academia, I worked as a legal advisor at the Dutch Ministry of Defence, where I advised on constitutional and legal questions related to state authority and military operations. Earlier experience at the European External Action Service placed me at the intersection of law, policy, and international cooperation. Alongside my core research on constitutional law and defence integration, I have engaged with questions of democratic resilience, including the constitutional implications of disinformation and intelligence activity. Across these domains, my work explores how democratic institutions maintain legitimacy and stability under conditions of geopolitical pressure. I contribute to academic and public discussions on constitutional law, European defence policy, and the future of democratic governance in an uncertain security environment.
My research project investigates the constitutional conditions for the creation of a European Defence Structure. This project is supervised by Leonard Besselink and Steven Blockmans.
Teaching the course 'The Armed Forces and the Dutch Constitution'. The course is part of the minor Military Law, a 'joint venture' with the University of Amsterdam.