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The Global Gender Equality Constitutional Database is a repository of gender equality related provisions in 194 constitutions from around the world. The Database was updated in partnership with the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) and with support from the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and the Government of Japan. Experience its wealth and depth of information by starting your search now.
Composition and Appointment
- English(1) A person shall be qualified for appointment as Chief Justice if he or she is qualified to be appointed a judge of the Supreme Court and has been a judge of a superior court in a common law country for not less than ten years.
(2) A person shall be qualified to be appointed a judge of the Supreme Court if he or she holds or has held office as a judge of the Court of Appeal, or as a judge of a court having similar jurisdiction in a common law country, in each case for not less than five years, or if he or she has practised as a legal practitioner before a court having unlimited jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters in a common law country for not less than twelve years.
… (Sec. 139)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English(1) There shall be in and for Malta such Superior Courts having such powers and jurisdiction as may be provided by any law for the time being in force in Malta.
(2) One of the Superior Courts, composed of such three judges as could, in accordance with any law for the time being in force in Malta, compose the Court of Appeal, shall be known as the Constitutional Court and shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine –
(a) such questions as are referred to in article 63 of the Constitution;
(b) any reference made to it in accordance with article 56 of this Constitution and any matter referred to it in accordance with any law relating to the election of members of the House of Representatives;
(c) appeals from decisions of the Civil Court, First Hall, under article 46 of this Constitution;
(d) appeals from decisions of any court of original jurisdiction in Malta as to the interpretation of this Constitution other than those which may fall under article 46 of this Constitution;
(e) appeals from decisions of any court of original jurisdiction in Malta on questions as to the validity of laws other than those which may fall under article 46 of this Constitution; and
(f) any question decided by a court of original jurisdiction in Malta together with any of the questions referred to in the foregoing paragraphs of this sub-article on which an appeal has been made to the Constitutional Court:
Provided that nothing in this paragraph shall preclude an appeal being brought separately before the Court of Appeal in accordance with any law for the time being in force in Malta.
… (Art. 95) - Maltese(1) Għandu jkun hemm f’MaIta u għal Malta dawk il-Qrati Superjuri li jkollhom dawk is-setgħat u ġurisdizzjoni kif ikun provdut b’xi liġi li għal dak iż-żmien tkun isseħħ f’Malta.
(2) Waħda mill-Qrati Superjuri, magħmula minn tlieta mill-imħallfin li jkunu jistgħu, skont xi liġi li għal dak iż-żmien tkun isseħħ f ’Malta, joqgħodu fil-Qorti tal-Appell, għandha tkun magħrufa bħala l-Qorti Kostituzzjonali u jkollha ġurisdizzjoni li tisma’ u tiddeċidi -
(a) dawk il-kwistjonijiet li huma msemmija fl-artikolu 63 tal-Kostituzzjoni;
(b) kull ħaġa riferita lilha skont l-artikolu 56 ta’ din il-Kostituzzjoni u kull ħaġa riferita lilha skont kull liġi dwar l-elezzjoni tal-membri tal-Kamra tad-Deputati;
(ċ) appelli minn deċiżjonijiet tal-Prim’Awla tal-Qorti Ċivili skont l-artikolu 46 ta’ din il-Kostituzzjoni;
(d) appelli minn deċiżjonijiet ta’ xi qorti ta’ ġurisdizzjoni oriġinali f’Malta fuq kwistjonijiet dwar interpretazzjoni ta’ din il-Kostituzzjoni li ma jkunux dawk li jistgħu jaqgħu taħt l-artikolu 46 ta’ din il- Kostituzzjoni;
(e) appelli minn deċiżjonijiet ta’ xi qorti ta’ ġurisdizzjoni oriġinali f’Malta fuq kwistjonijiet dwar il-validità ta’ liġijiet li ma jkunux dawk li jistgħu jaqgħu taħt l-artikolu 46 ta’ din il-Kostituzzjoni; u
(f) kull kwistjoni deċiża minn qorti ta’ ġurisdizzjoni oriġinali f’Malta flimkien ma’ xi waħda mill-kwistjonijiet imsemmija fil-paragrafi ta’ qabel ta’ dan is-subartikolu li minnha jkun sar appell lill-Qorti Kostituzzjonali:
Iżda ebda ħaġa li tinsab f’dan il-paragrafu ma ttellef li appell jinġieb separatament quddiem il-Qorti tal-Appell skont xi liġi li għal dak iż-żmien ikun hemm isseħħ f’Malta.
… (Art. 95)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishIn addition to the issues that are directed to it by other Articles of the Constitution, the High Constitutional Court, within the conditions established by an organic law:
1°. decides on the conformity with the Constitution of the treaties, of the laws, of the ordinances, and of the autonomous regulations;
2°. rules on the conflicts of competence between two or more Institutions of the State or between the State and one or more Decentralized Territorial Collectivities or between two or more Decentralized Territorial Collectivities;
3°. decides on the conformity with the Constitution and with the organic laws, of the deliberations and of the regulatory acts adopted by the Decentralized Territorial Collectivities;
4°. decides on the disputes of the operations of referendum, of the election of the President of the Republic and of the elections of the Deputies and Senators;
5°. proclaims the official result of the presidential and legislative elections and of the consultations by referendum. (Art. 116) - FrenchOutre les questions qui lui sont renvoyées par d’autres articles de la Constitution, la Haute Cour Constitutionnelle, dans les conditions fixées par une loi organique :
1° statue sur la conformité à la Constitution des traités, des lois, des ordonnances, et des règlements autonomes ;
2° règle les conflits de compétence entre deux ou plusieurs Institutions de l'Etat ou entre l'Etat et une ou plusieurs Collectivités Territoriales Décentralisées ou entre deux ou Collectivités Territoriales Décentralisées ;
3° statue sur la conformité à la Constitution et aux lois organiques, des actes à caractère législatif et réglementaires adoptés par les Collectivités Territoriales Décentralisées;
4° statue sur le contentieux des opérations de référendum, de l'élection du Président de la République et des élections des députés et sénateurs ;
5° proclame le résultat officiel des élections présidentielles, législatives et des consultations par référendum. (Art. 116)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe Constitutional Court is referred to [a matter] by the President of the Republic, by the President of the National Assembly, by the President of the Senate, the Prime Minister or by a third of the members of each Chamber of the Parliament. (Art. 178)
- FrenchLa Cour constitutionnelle est saisie par le Président de la République, le Président de l’Assemblée nationale, le Président du Sénat, le Premier ministre ou par un tiers des membres de chaque chambre du Parlement. (Art. 178)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe Supreme Court of Justice, will be organized in chambers, one of which is the Constitutional [Chamber], …
The Constitutional Chamber has the following attributions:
1) To take cognizance[,] in conformity with this Constitution and the law, of the recourses of Habeas Corpus or Personal Exhibition [Exhibición Personal], Habeas Data, Amparo, Unconstitutionality and Revision, and,
2) To resolve the conflicts among the Powers of the State, including the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, as well as, among the other entities or organs that the law indicates; the decisions [sentencias] in which the unconstitutionality of a norm is declared[,] are of immediate execution and have general effects, and therefore, abrogate [derogan] the unconstitutional norm, [and this] will be communicated to the National Congress, which will have it published in the Diario Oficial La Gaceta [Official Gazette]. The Regulations will establish the organization and functioning of the Chambers. (Art. 316) - SpanishLa Corte Suprema de Justicia, está organizada en salas, una de las cuales es la de lo Constitucional, …
La Sala de lo Constitucional tiene las atribuciones siguientes:
1. Conocer, de conformidad con esta Constitución y la Ley, de los recursos de Habeas Corpus o Exhibición Personal, Habeas Data, Amparo, Inconstitucionalidad y Revisión; y
2. Dirimir los conflictos entre los Poderes del Estado, incluido el Tribunal Supremo Electoral, así como entre las demás entidades u órganos que indique la ley; las sentencias en que se declara la inconstitucionalidad de una norma son de ejecución inmediata y tienen efectos genérales; y por tanto derogan la norma inconstitucional, debiendo comunicarse al Congreso Nacional, quien lo hará publicar en el Diario Oficial la Gaceta. El Reglamento establecerá la organización y funcionamiento de las Salas. (Art. 316)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English…
2. The President of the Republic, before ratifying an international agreement may refer it to the Constitutional Tribunal with a request to adjudicate upon its conformity to the Constitution.
… (Art. 133) - Polish…
2. Prezydent Rzeczypospolitej przed ratyfikowaniem umowy międzynarodowej może zwrócić się do Trybunału Konstytucyjnego z wnioskiem w sprawie jej zgodności z Konstytucją.
… (Art. 133)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English…
The organic laws may only be promulgated after the Constitutional Court has decided on their conformity with the Constitution. (Art. 85) - Arabic...
لا يمكن إصدار الأمر بتنفيذ القوانين التنظيمية، إلا بعد أن تصرح المحكمة الدستورية بمطابقتها للدستور (الفصل 85)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
Constitutional guarantees are:
1. The Action of Habeas Corpus, which proceeds concerning an act or omission, on the part of any authority, functionary or person, which violates or threatens individual freedom or the related constitutional rights.
2. The Action of Amparo, which proceeds against an act or omission, on the part of any authority, functionary, or person, which violates or threatens the other rights recognized by the Constitution, with the exception of those specified in the following paragraph.
It does not proceed against legal norms or or Judicial Resolutions emanating from [the] regular procedure.
3. The Action of Habeas Data, which proceeds against an act or omission, on the part of any authority, functionary, or person, which violates or threatens the rights to which Article 2, paragraphs 5 and 6 of this Constitution, refers.
4. The Action of Unconstitutionality, which proceeds against the norms that have status [rango] of law: laws, legislative decrees, decrees of urgency, treaties, regulations of the Congress, regional norms of general character and municipal ordinances that contravene the Constitution in form or in substance [fondo].
5. The Popular Action [Acción Popular], which proceeds for infraction of the Constitution and of the law, against the regulations, administrative norms and resolutions and decrees of general character, whatever the authority from which they emanate may be.
6. The Action of Cumplimiento [Fulfillment/Mandamus], which proceeds against any authority or functionary that refuses to comply with a legal norm, or an administrative act, without prejudice to the responsibilities of law.
An Organic Law regulates the exercise of these guarantees and the effects of the declaration of unconstitutionality or illegality of the norms.
The exercise of the actions of habeas corpus and of amparo is not suspended during the effectiveness [vigencia] of the regimes of exception to which Article 137 of the Constitution refers.
When actions of this nature are interposed in relation to restricted or suspended rights, the competent jurisdictional organ examines the reasonability and the proportionality of the restrictive act. It does not correspond to the judge to question the declaration of the state of emergency or of siege. (Art. 200) - Spanish
Son garantías constitucionales:
1. La Acción de Hábeas Corpus, que procede ante el hecho u omisión, por parte de cualquier autoridad, funcionario o persona, que vulnera o amenaza la libertad individual o los derechos constitucionales conexos.
2. La Acción de Amparo, que procede contra el hecho u omisión, por parte de cualquier autoridad, funcionario o persona, que vulnera o amenaza los demás derechos reconocidos por la Constitución, con excepción de los señalados en el inciso siguiente.
No procede contra normas legales ni contra Resoluciones Judiciales emanadas de procedimiento regular.
3. La Acción de Hábeas Data, que procede contra el hecho u omisión, por parte de cualquier autoridad, funcionario o persona, que vulnera o amenaza los derechos a que se refiere el Artículo 2º, incisos 5 y 6 de la Constitución.
4. La Acción de Inconstitucionalidad, que procede contra las normas que tienen rango de ley: leyes, decretos legislativos, decretos de urgencia, tratados, reglamentos del Congreso, normas regionales de carácter general y ordenanzas municipales que contravengan la Constitución en la forma o en el fondo.
5. La Acción Popular, que procede, por infracción de la Constitución y de la ley, contra los reglamentos, normas administrativas y resoluciones y decretos de carácter general, cualquiera sea la autoridad de la que emanen.
6. La Acción de Cumplimiento, que procede contra cualquier autoridad o funcionario renuente a acatar una norma legal o un acto administrativo, sin perjuicio de las responsabilidades de ley.
Una ley orgánica regula el ejercicio de estas garantías y los efectos de la declaración de inconstitucionalidad o ilegalidad de las normas.
El ejercicio de las acciones de hábeas corpus y de amparo no se suspende durante la vigencia de los regímenes de excepción a que se refiere el artículo 137º de la Constitución.
Cuando se interponen acciones de esta naturaleza en relación con derechos restringidos o suspendidos, el órgano jurisdiccional competente examina la razonabilidad y la proporcionalidad del acto restrictivo. No corresponde al juez cuestionar la declaración del estado de emergencia ni de sitio. (Art. 200)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. The Constitutional Court shall have the competence of oversight on the constitutionality of the applicable laws and regulations and its judgments shall be issued in the name of the King; …
2. The Constitutional Court shall have the right to interpret the provisions of the Constitution if such is requested therefrom by a decision issued by the Council of Ministers or by a decision taken by either House of the Parliament by majority; … (Art. 59) - Arabic1. تختص المحكمة الدستورية بالرقابة على دستورية القوانين والأنظمة النّافذة وتصدر أحكامها باسم الملك، ...
2. للمحكمة الدستورية حق تفسير نصوص الدستور إذا طلب إليها ذلك بقرار صادر عن مجلس الوزراء أو بقرار يتخذه أحد مجلسي الأمة بالأغلبية، ... (المادة 59)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishA Guarantors’ Panel responsible for ensuring the constitutionality of rules is hereby established…
The Guarantors’ Panel shall:
a) verify the conformity of laws, of regulations having force of law, as well as of customary rules having force of law, with the fundamental principles of the constitutional order set forth or mentioned in this Law, upon direct request of at least twenty members of the Great and General Council, of the Congress of State, of five Township Councils, of a number of citizens making up at least 1.5% of the electorate resulting from the latest and definitive annual revision of the electoral lists, and with reference to proceedings pending before the Republic’s courts, upon request of judges or the parties involved;
b) in the cases envisaged by law, decide on the acceptability of referenda proposals;
c) decide in case of conflicts between constitutional bodies;
d) act as “Regency Syndicate”.
Additional functions may be established by a constitutional law. The constitutional law shall determine the responsibilities of the Guarantors’ Panel and of its single members.
… (Art. 16) - ItalianE' istituito il Collegio Garante della costituzionalita delle norme. …
Il Collegio Garante:
a) verifica, su richiesta diretta di almeno venti Consiglieri, del Congresso di Stato, di cinque Giunte di Castello, della Commissione per le Pari Opportunità, di un numero di cittadini elettori rappresentanti almeno l'1,5% del corpo elettorale quale risultante dall'ultima e definitiva revisione annuale delle liste elettorali, nonché nell'ambito di giudizi pendenti presso i Tribunali della Repubblica, su richiesta dei giudici o delle parti in causa, la rispondenza delle leggi, degli atti aventi forza di legge a contenuto normativo, nonché delle norme anche consuetudinarie aventi forza di legge, ai principi fondamentali dell'ordinamento di cui alla presente legge o da questa richiamati;
b) decide nei casi previsti dalla legge, sull'ammissibilità dei referendum;
c) decide sui conflitti fra organi costituzionali;
d) esercita il Sindacato sui Capitani Reggenti.
Con legge costituzionale potranno essere disposte ulteriori attribuzioni. La legge costituzionale determina il regime delle responsabilità del Collegio Garante e dei singoli membri.
… (Art. 16)