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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.
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Jurisdiction and Access
Ireland
- English…
3 2° Save as otherwise provided by this Article, the jurisdiction of the High Court shall extend to the question of the validity of any law having regard to the provisions of this Constitution, and no such question shall be raised (whether by pleading, argument or otherwise) in any Court established under this or any other Article of this Constitution other than the High Court, the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court.
3° No Court whatever shall have jurisdiction to question the validity of a law, or any provision of a law, the Bill for which shall have been referred to the Supreme Court by the President under Article 26 of this Constitution, or to question the validity of a provision of a law where the corresponding provision in the Bill for such law shall have been referred to the Supreme Court by the President under the said Article 26.
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4 2° No law shall be enacted excepting from the appellate jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal cases which involve questions as to the validity of any law having regard to the provisions of this Constitution.
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5 5° No law shall be enacted excepting from the appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court cases which involve questions as to the validity of any law having regard to the provisions of this Constitution.
… (Art. 34) - Irish Gaelic…
3 2° Taobh amuigh de chás dá socraítear a mhalairt leis an Airteagal seo, beidh dlínse ag an Ard-Chúirt maidir leis an gceist sin bail a bheith nó gan a bheith ar aon dlí áirithe ag féachaint d’fhorálacha an Bhunreachta seo, agus ní cead aon cheist den sórt sin a tharraingt anuas (trí phléadáil ná argóint ná eile) i gCúirt ar bith, arna bunú faoin Airteagal seo nó faoi aon Airteagal eile den Bhunreacht seo, seachas an Ard-Chúirt, an Chúirt Achomhairc nó an Chúirt Uachtarach.
3° Ní bheidh dlínse ag Cúirt ar bith chun bailíocht dhlí nó fhorála ar bith de dhlí a chur in amhras is dlí a ndearna an tUachtarán an Bille lena aghaidh a chur faoi bhreith na Cúirte Uachtaraí faoi Airteagal 26 den Bhunreacht seo, ná chun bailíocht fhorála de dhlí a chur in amhras má rinne an tUachtarán an fhoráil chomhréire sa Bhille le haghaidh an dlí sin a chur faoi bhreith na Cúirte Uachtaraí faoin Airteagal sin 26.
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4 2° Ní cead aon dlí a achtú a chuirfeadh ar an taobh amuigh de dhlínse achomhairc na Cúirte Achomhairc cásanna ina mbeadh ceisteanna le réiteach i dtaobh bail a bheith nó gan a bheith ar aon dlí, ag féachaint d’fhorálacha an Bhunreachta seo.
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5 5° Ní cead aon dlí a achtú a chuirfeadh ar an taobh amuigh de dhlínse achomhairc na Cúirte Uachtaraí cásanna ina mbeadh ceisteanna le réiteach i dtaobh bail a bheith nó gan a bheith ar aon dlí, ag féachaint d’fhorálacha Bhunreachta seo.
… (Airteagal 34)
Jurisdiction and Access
Central African Republic
- EnglishThe President of the Republic, the President of the National Assembly, the President of the Senate, the Prime Minister or one-quarter (1/4) of the members of each Chamber of the Parliament may refer a request for [its] opinion to the Constitutional Court. (Art. 97)
- FrenchLe Président de la République, Ie Président de l'Assemblée Nationale, Ie Président du Sénat, Ie Premier Ministre ou un quart (1/4) des membres de chaque chambre du Parlement peuvent saisir la Cour Constitutionnelle d'une demande d'avis. (Art. 97)
Jurisdiction and Access
Argentina
- EnglishThe Supreme Court and the lower courts of the Nation are empowered to hear and decide all cases arising under the Constitution and the laws of the Nation, with the exception made in Section 75, subsection 12, and under the treaties made with foreign nations; all cases concerning ambassadors, public ministers and foreign consuls; cases related to admiralty and maritime jurisdiction; matters in which the Nation shall be a party; actions arising between two or more provinces, between one province and the inhabitants of another province, between the inhabitants of different provinces, and between one province or the inhabitants thereof against a foreign state or citizen. (Sec. 116)
- SpanishCorresponde a la Corte Suprema y a los tribunales inferiores de la Nación, el conocimiento y decisión de todas las causas que versen sobre puntos regidos por la Constitución, y por las leyes de la Nación, con la reserva hecha en el inc. 12 del Artículo 75; y por los tratados con las naciones extranjeras; de las causas concernientes a embajadores, ministros públicos y cónsules extranjeros; de las causas de almirantazgo y jurisdicción marítima; de los asuntos en que la Nación sea parte; de las causas que se susciten entre dos o más provincias; entre una provincia y los vecinos de otra; entre los vecinos de diferentes provincias; y entre una provincia o sus vecinos, contra un Estado o ciudadano extranjero. (Art. 116)
Jurisdiction and Access
Montenegro
- EnglishThe Constitutional Court shall decide on the following:
1) Conformity of laws with the Constitution and confirmed and published international agreements;
2) Conformity of other regulations and general acts with the Constitution and the law;
3) Constitutional appeal due to the violation of human rights and liberties granted by the Constitution, after all other efficient legal remedies have been exhausted;
4) Whether the President of Montenegro has violated the Constitution,
5) The conflict of responsibilities between courts and other state authorities, between state authorities and local self-government authorities, and between the authorities of the local self-government units;
6) Prohibition of work of a political party or a non-governmental organization;
7) Electoral disputes and disputes related to the referendum, which are not the responsibility of other courts;
8) Conformity with the Constitution of the measures and actions of state authorities taken during the state of war or the state of emergency;
9) Performs other tasks stipulated by the Constitution.
If the regulation ceased to be valid during the procedure for the assessment of constitutionality and legality, and the consequences of its enforcement have not been recovered, the Constitutional Court shall establish whether that regulation was in conformity with the Constitution, that is, with the law during its period of validity.
The Constitutional Court shall monitor the enforcement of constitutionality and legality and shall inform the Parliament about the noted cases of unconstitutionality and illegality. (Art. 149) - MontenegrinUstavni sud odlučuje:
1) o saglasnosti zakona sa Ustavom i potvrđenim i objavljenim međuna-rodnim ugovorima;
2) o saglasnosti drugih propisa i opštih akata sa Ustavom i zakonom;
3) o ustavnoj žalbi zbog povrede ljudskih prava i sloboda zajamčenih Ustavom, nakon iscrpljivanja svih djelotvornih pravnih sredstava;
4) da li je predsjednik Crne Gore povrijedio Ustav;
5) o sukobu nadležnosti između sudova i drugih državnih organa, između državnih organa i organa jedinica lokalne samouprave i između organa jedinica lokalne samouprave;
6) o zabrani rada političke partije ili nevladine organizacije;
7) o izbornim sporovima i sporovima u vezi sa referendumom koji nijesu u nadležnosti drugih sudova;
8) o saglasnosti sa Ustavom mjera i radnji državnih organa preduzetih za vrijeme ratnog i vanrednog stanja;
9) vrši i druge poslove utvrđene Ustavom.
Ako je u toku postupka za ocjenu ustavnosti i zakonitosti propis prestao da važi, a nijesu otklonjene posljedice njegove primjene, Ustavni sud utvrđuje da li je taj propis bio saglasan sa Ustavom, odnosno sa zakonom za vrijeme njegovog važenja.
Ustavni sud prati ostvarivanje ustavnosti i zakonitosti i o uočenim pojavama neustavnosti i nezakonitosti obavještava Skupštinu. (Član 149)
Jurisdiction and Access
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
- EnglishIn case of a state of urgency or of state of siege, the President of the Republic takes, by ordinances deliberated in the Council of Ministers, the measures necessary to respond to the situation.
These ordinances are, on their signature, submitted to the Constitutional Court which, ceasing other matters, declares if they derogate or not from this Constitution. (Art. 145) - FrenchEn cas d’état d’urgence ou d’état de siège, le Président de la République prend, par ordonnances délibérées en Conseil des ministres, les mesures nécessaires pour faire face à la situation.
Ces ordonnances sont, dès leur signature, soumises à la Cour constitutionnelle qui, toutes affaires cessantes, déclare si elles dérogent ou non à la présente Constitution. (Art. 145)
Jurisdiction and Access
Colombia
- EnglishThe safeguarding of the integrity and supremacy of the Constitution is entrusted to the Constitutional Court in the strict and precise terms of this article. For such a purpose, it shall fulfill the following functions:
1. Decide on the petitions of unconstitutionality brought by citizens against measures amending the Constitution, no matter what their origin, exclusively for errors of procedure in their formation.
2. Decide, prior to a popular expression of opinion, on the constitutionality of the call for a referendum or a constituent assembly to amend the Constitution, exclusively for errors of procedure in their formation.
3. Decide on the constitutionality of referendums about laws and popular consultations and plebiscites of a national scope, in case of these last ones exclusively for errors of procedure in their convocation and implementation.
4. Decide on the petitions of unconstitutionality brought by citizens against statutes, both for their substantive content as well as for errors of procedure in their formation.
5. Decide on the petitions of unconstitutionality brought by citizens against decrees with the force of law issued by the government on the basis of Article 150, numeral 10, and Article 341 of the Constitution for their substantive content as well as for errors of procedure in their formation.
6. Decide on the exceptions provided for in Article 137 of the Constitution.
7. Decide definitively on the constitutionality of the legislative decrees issued by the government on the basis of Articles 212, 213, and 215 of the Constitution.
8. Decide definitively on the constitutionality of the bills opposed by the government as unconstitutional and of proposed statutory bills, both on account of their substantive content as well as for errors of procedure in their formation.
9. Revise, in the form determined by statute, the judicial decisions connected with the protection of constitutional rights.
10. To decide definitively on the constitutionality [exquibilidad/executability] of the international treaties and on the laws that approve them. To this end, the Government will submit them to the Court, within the six days subsequent to the sanction of the law. Any citizen can intervene to defend or challenge their constitutionality [constitucionalidad]. If the Court declares them constitutional, the Government may effect the exchange of notes; in the contrary case they will not be ratified. When one or several norms of a multilateral treaty are declared unconstitutional [inexquibilidad/unexecutable] by the Constitutional Court, the President of the Republic may only declare consent formulated [with] the corresponding reservation.
11. To settle [Dirimir] the conflicts of competence that occur between the distinct jurisdictions.
… (Art. 241) - SpanishA la Corte Constitucional se le confía la guarda de la integridad y supremacía de la Constitución, en los estrictos y precisos términos de este artículo. Con tal fin, cumplirá las siguientes funciones:
1. Decidir sobre las demandas de inconstitucionalidad que promuevan los ciudadanos contra los actos reformatorios de la Constitución, cualquiera que sea su origen, sólo por vicios de procedimiento en su formación.
2. Decidir, con anterioridad al pronunciamiento popular, sobre la constitucionalidad de la convocatoria a un referendo o a una Asamblea Constituyente para reformar la Constitución, sólo por vicios de procedimiento en su formación.
3. Decidir sobre la constitucionalidad de los referendos sobre leyes y de las consultas populares y plebiscitos del orden nacional. Estos últimos sólo por vicios de procedimiento en su convocatoria y realización.
4. Decidir sobre las demandas de inconstitucionalidad que presenten los ciudadanos contra las leyes, tanto por su contenido material como por vicios de procedimiento en su formación.
5. Decidir sobre las demandas de inconstitucionalidad que presenten los ciudadanos contra los decretos con fuerza de ley dictados por el Gobierno con fundamento en los artículos 150 numeral 10 y 341 de la Constitución, por su contenido material o por vicios de procedimiento en su formación.
6. Decidir sobre las excusas de que trata el artículo 137 de la Constitución.
7. Decidir definitivamente sobre la constitucionalidad de los decretos legislativos que dicte el Gobierno con fundamento en los artículos 212, 213 y 215 de la Constitución.
8. Decidir definitivamente sobre la constitucionalidad de los proyectos de ley que hayan sido objetados por el Gobierno como inconstitucionales, y de los proyectos de leyes estatutarias, tanto por su contenido material como por vicios de procedimiento en su formación.
9. Revisar, en la forma que determine la ley, las decisiones judiciales relacionadas con la acción de tutela de los derechos constitucionales.
10. Decidir definitivamente sobre la exequibilidad de los tratados internacionales y de las leyes que los aprueben. Con tal fin, el Gobierno los remitirá a la Corte, dentro de los seis días siguientes a la sanción de la ley. Cualquier ciudadano podrá intervenir para defender o impugnar su constitucionalidad. Si la Corte los declara constitucionales, el Gobierno podrá efectuar el canje de notas; en caso contrario no serán ratificados. Cuando una o varias normas de un tratado multilateral sean declaradas inexequibles por la Corte Constitucional, el Presidente de la República sólo podrá manifestar el consentimiento formulando la correspondiente reserva.
11. Dirimir los conflictos de competencia que ocurran entre las distintas jurisdicciones.
… (Art. 241)
Jurisdiction and Access
Portugal
- English1. The Constitutional Court has the competence to consider unconstitutionality and illegality, in accordance with Articles 277 et sequitur.
2. The Constitutional Court also has the competences:
a) To verify the death and declare the permanent physical incapacity of the President of the Republic, and to verify cases in which he is temporarily prevented from exercising his functions;
b) To verify loss of the office of President of the Republic in the cases provided for in Article 129(3) and Article 130(3);
c) As the court of final instance, to judge the proper observance and validity of electoral procedural acts, as laid down by law;
d) For the purposes of Article 124(3), to verify the death, and to declare the incapacity to exercise the function of President of the Republic, of any candidate therefore;
e) To verify the legality of the formation of political parties and coalitions thereof, to assess the legality of their names, initials and symbols, and to order their abolition, in accordance with the Constitution and the law;
f) To verify in advance the constitutionality and legality of national, regional and local referenda, including consideration of the requisites in relation to the respective universe of electors;
g) At the request of Members, as laid down by law, to judge appeals concerning losses of seat in, and elections conducted by, the Assembly of the Republic and the Legislative Assemblies of the autonomous regions;
h) To judge those actions involving challenges to elections to, and to decisions taken by, political party organs, which by law are subject to appeal.
3. The Constitutional Court also has the competence to exercise the other functions that are allocated to it by the Constitution and the law. (Art. 223) - Portuguese1. Compete ao Tribunal Constitucional apreciar a inconstitucionalidade e a ilegalidade, nos termos dos artigos 277.º e seguintes.
2. Compete também ao Tribunal Constitucional:
a) Verificar a morte e declarar a impossibilidade física permanente do Presidente da República, bem como verificar os impedimentos temporários do exercício das suas funções;
b) Verificar a perda do cargo de Presidente da República, nos casos previstos no n.º 3 do artigo 129.º e no n.º 3 do artigo 130.º;
c) Julgar em última instância a regularidade e a validade dos actos de processo eleitoral, nos termos da lei;
d) Verificar a morte e declarar a incapacidade para o exercício da função presidencial de qualquer candidato a Presidente da República, para efeitos do disposto no n.º 3 do artigo 124.º;
e) Verificar a legalidade da constituição de partidos políticos e suas coligações, bem como apreciar a legalidade das suas denominações, siglas e símbolos, e ordenar a respectiva extinção, nos termos da Constituição e da lei;
f) Verificar previamente a constitucionalidade e a legalidade dos referendos nacionais, regionais e locais, incluindo a apreciação dos requisitos relativos ao respectivo universo eleitoral; Julgar a requerimento dos Deputados, nos termos da lei, os recursos relativos à perda do mandato e às eleições realizadas na Assembleia da República e nas Assembleias Legislativas das regiões autónomas;
h) Julgar as acções de impugnação de eleições e deliberações de órgãos de partidos políticos que, nos termos da lei, sejam recorríveis.
3. Compete ainda ao Tribunal Constitucional exercer as demais funções que lhe sejam atribuídas pela Constituição e pela lei. (Art. 223)
Jurisdiction and Access
Gabon
- EnglishThe Constitutional Court is the highest Jurisdiction of the State in constitutional matters. It is the judge of the constitutionality of the laws and of the regularity of the elections. It guarantees the fundamental rights of the human person and the public freedoms. It is the regulatory organ of the functioning of the institutions and of the activity of the public powers. (Art. 83)
- FrenchLa Cour Constitutionnelle est la haute Juridiction de l’Etat en matière constitutionnelle. Elle est juge de la constitutionnalité des lois et de la régularité des élections. Elle garantit les droits fondamentaux de la personne humaine et les libertés publiques. Elle est l’organe régulateur du fonctionnement des institutions et de l’activité des pouvoir publics. (Art. 83)
Jurisdiction and Access
Ecuador
- EnglishWhen a judge, by virtue of his/her office or at the request of a party, considers that a legal norm is contrary to the Constitution or to international human rights instruments that provide for rights that are more favorable than those enshrined in the Constitution, it shall suspend the case and refer it for consultation to the Constitutional Court, which within no more than forty-five (45) days shall rule on the constitutionality of the norm.
If the Court issues no ruling within the established time-limits, the affected party is entitled to file the corresponding complaint. (Art. 428) - SpanishCuando una jueza o juez, de oficio o a petición de parte, considere que una norma jurídica es contraria a la Constitución o a los instrumentos internacionales de derechos humanos que establezcan derechos más favorables que los reconocidos en la Constitución, suspenderá la tramitación de la causa y remitirá en consulta el expediente a la Corte Constitucional, que en un plazo no mayor a cuarenta y cinco días, resolverá sobre la constitucionalidad de la norma.
Si transcurrido el plazo previsto la Corte no se pronuncia, el perjudicado podrá interponer la acción correspondiente. (Art. 428)
Jurisdiction and Access
Kuwait
- EnglishThe Law shall determine the competent legal Authority to deal with the settlement of disputes in respect to the constitutionality of laws and regulations and shall determine this authority's jurisdiction and the procedure it shall follow.
The Law shall guarantee to both, the Government and those concerned, the right to challenge the constitutionality of laws and regulations before that Authority. … (Art. 173) - Arabicيعين القانون الجهة القضائية التي تختص بالفصل في المنازعات المتعلقة بدستورية القوانين واللوائح، ويبين صلاحياتها والإجراءات التي تتبعها.
ويكفل القانون حق كل من الحكومة وذوي الشأن في الطعن لدى تلك الجهة في دستورية القوانين واللوائح.
... (المادّة 173)