| Ideally, laws are precise and durable. However, unusual circumstances call for unusual measures, also in lawmaking. Especially in times of crisis there is often a demand for temporary legislation to fix urgent problems. Policy measures have to be taken rapidly then but are surrounded by uncertainty. Sunset clauses and experiments can temporarily limit or broaden the scope of statutes in order to deal with such situations of uncertainty. Nonetheless, this does create a paradox; whereas flexibility and uncertainty is an inherent part of all temporary legislation, the principle of legal certainty demands precision and stability from the legislature. |
