Principio de legalidad penal

Abstract

La autora estudia el significado politico y las exigencias juridicas que derivan del vigente principio de legalidad penal. Se analizan en primer lugar el contenido del principio de seguridad juridica, del que derivan a su vez las exigencias de “lex certa” y “lex praevia” y del principio democratico-representativo o principio de reserva de ley, que exigiria que la ley sea escrita y determinaria la prohibicion de la analogia. Se repasan, asimismo y en segundo lugar, los factores que desde el siglo pasado vienen contribuyendo a lo que se denomina en el trabajo la decadencia de la ley. Finalmente, el examen del concepto se completa con un analisis critico de la regulacion del principio de legalidad penal en Espana, atendiendo particularmente a la jurisprudencia constitucional en la materia. Palabras clave: Seguridad juridica, caracter taxativo de la norma penal, reserva de ley, imperio de la ley, decadencia de la ley Abstract: The author studies the political meaning and the juridical requirements coming from the principle of penal legality in force. First, it is analyzed the content of the principle of juridical security, from which results at the same time the requirements of “lex certa” and “lex praevia”  and the democratic-representative principle or the principle of reserve of law, which demands that the law should be written and would state the prohibition of the analogy. It is examined, at the second place, the factors which from the last century are contributing to what is known at work as the decline of the law. Finally, the exam of the concept is completed with a critical analysis of the regulation of the principle of penal legality within Spain, paying special attention to the constitutional jurisprudence on the matter. Keywords: Legal security, strict character of the penal norm, law reserve, law empire, law decline.