Politicians as a species of "Public Figure" and the Right to Privacy

Abstract

This article addresses the extent to which the public role or profile of an individual can affect their reasonable expectation of privacy under Article 8 European Convention of Human Rights. It argues that the case law shows that status as a ‘public figure’ does have some limited impact on the expectation of privacy. It goes on to assess whether politicians are treated as a separate category of ‘public figure’. The conclusion is that some differential treatment is revealed and that the general impact of public profile on privacy is broadened for politicians. The rationales for this differential treatment though also apply to other figures who wield power and influence on matters of public concern.