Ombudsperson

As the ombudsperson has assumed the most diversified features, both worldwide as well as at the national and subnational levels, it is very difficult to elaborate a general notion of this institution. In very rough terms, the ombudsperson can be described as an office composed of one or more officials appointed by parliament, or the executive, or both, and with the mandate to receive and impartially investigate complaints from aggrieved persons concerning a violation of their fundamental rights connected with the conduct of the government administration and, as an outcome of such an investigative activity, of issuing recommendations and reports. The present essay identifies and describes the many different implementations and features of this institution both at a national, international and EU level.