On reflection, I think the McCanns have achieved their goal of keeping Madeleine's case in the public eye, despite their ultimate failure in ECHR. When they initiated the court action I doubt anyone would have believed just how protracted it would become.
IMO the McCanns perhaps took the harder route of making their case more about Madeleine and the harm they perceived Amaral's book was causing the search as opposed to a concentrated libel claim regarding all the slurs and insinuations against themselves. The former justified payment for legal expenses from the OFM Fund, the latter wouldn't have.
Assuming Brueckner is convicted of murdering Madeleine, the ECHR judgement will not bode well for either Amaral or Portuguese State imo. Their justice system, backed by the the administrative authorities, has allowed Amaral to be very vocal in various media during the last 14yrs, without restraint, about his belief the McCanns are criminally culpable. A Brueckner conviction will not sit well with the Portuguese public.
At this moment in time I think the “victory” is a Pyrrhic one as much for Amaral as it has been for the McCanns. It is a course of action they had no choice but to take if they were to keep Madeleine’s case in the public eye.
Indeed as you have pointed out, who could have envisaged it taking up so much precious time. Particularly bearing in mind that when the McCanns were forced to institute legal action, they were the only ones actively looking for Madeleine and they were fiercely fighting her corner against the negativity engendered by Amaral.
“Gerry has been quoted as saying: 'I'm sure it's a very small minority of people who spend their time doing it, but it has totally inhibited what we do.' ”
At that stage Amaral had written the first of his books, had taken part in his first documentary based on his book, had a media career forged on accusing Madeleine’s parents of criminality which continues even today.
But the McCanns proved their point and did the impossible of getting Madeleine's case opened. That is some feat and some victory in the face of the "inhibitions" visited on them.
I think that already the genie is out of the bottle as far as the turn events have taken and I think that even if Brueckner’s saga as far as Madeleine’s disappearance is concerned never sees the inside of a courtroom, the genie will stay out as far as the Portuguese people are concerned.
Proud Portuguese institutions have been found wanting as the people have watched the example before them and I think there are those whose high popularity ratings might take a tumble as a direct result.
