Reflections on the Successional Representation of the Unworthy Renunciant

The efforts to adopt a new Civil Code, initiated in the period 1999-2004 and finalized in 2011, aimed to expand the scope of representation in succession cases, including cases involving unworthy heirs and renunciants. However, legislative stagnation partially prevailed, as the Law no. 287 of 2009 on the Civil Code, with amendments introduced by Law no. 71/2011 for its implementation, only regulated the possibility of representation for unworthy heirs and not for renunciants. The partial modernization of the rules on representation in succession raises new questions and the need for answers. In the current context of the regulation of representation in succession, we aim to address the legitimate question of whether an unworthy heir can renounce inheritance and, if so, whether a renunciant unworthy heir can be represented by their descendants. We note that in the legal doctrine associated with the Civil Code of 1864, no speculation was made regarding this legal situation, as an unworthy heir could not be represented in succession, and such a discussion would have been pointless. Therefore, we will present the historical and evolutionary journey of the institution of representation in succession, from Roman law to modern times, as well as the winding path of adopting a new Civil Code in this area. By doing so, we can reach a valid conclusion regarding the issues addressed in this materia.