The Concept of ‘Public Interest’ in Cases Concerning Holders of Public Office: A Jurisprudential Study

Résumé

The article examines the concept of “public interest” in cases concerning holders of public office, through a systematic analysis of the jurisprudence of the Constitutional Court and the High Court of Cassation and Justice. The study follows how the courts have defined and applied the notion of public interest in relation to the status of the public official and persons assimilated to this role, highlighting the legal criteria that delimit the scope of public office. The comparative analysis of decisions delivered between 2014 and 2023 highlights the trend of a controlled expansion of criminal protection of the public interest and the consolidation of the principle of accountability for the exercise of duties in the service of the community. The conclusions emphasize the role of jurisprudence as the main instrument for clarifying the relationship between public office and public interest in contemporary Romanian law.