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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
- EnglishThe Constitutional Court consists of nine (9) members including at least four (4) women, who hold the title of Constitutional Judge.
The duration of the mandate of the Constitutional Judges is of seven (7) years, non-renewable.
The members of the Constitutional Court are designated as follows:
– two (2) Magistrates including one women, elected by their peers;
– two (2) Attorney including one woman, elected by their peers;
– two (2) [members] of a Faculty of Law [enseignants-chercheurs de Droit] including one woman, elected by their peers;
– one (1) member appointed by the President of the Republic;
– one (1) member appointed by the President of the National Assembly;
– one (1) member appointed by the President of the Senate.
... (Art. 99) - FrenchLa Cour Constitutionnelle comprend neuf (09) membres dont au moins quatre (4) femmes, qui portent Ie titre de Juge Constitutionnel.
La durée du mandat des Juges Constitutionnels est de sept (07) ans non renouvelable.
Les membres de la Cour Constitutionnelle sont désignés comme suit:
- deux (2) magistrats dont une femme, élus par leurs pairs;
- deux (2) avocats dont une femme, élus par leurs pairs;
- deux (2) enseignants-chercheurs de Droit dont une femme, élus par leurs pairs;
- un (1) membre nommé par Ie Président de la République;
- un (1) membre nommé par Ie Président de l'Assemblée Nationale;
- un (1) membre nommé par Ie Président du Sénat.
... (Art. 99)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. The President of the Republic may ask the Constitutional Court to conduct a prior review of the constitutionality of any rule contained in legislation that has been submitted for enactment, any international treaty submitted to him for ratification or any international agreement sent to him for signature.
2. One tenth of the Members of the National Assembly in full exercise of their office may also request a prior review of the constitutionality of any rule contained in legislation that has been submitted for enactment.
… (Art. 228) - Portuguese1. O Presidente da República pode requerer ao Tribunal Constitucional a apreciação preventiva da constitucionalidade de qualquer norma constante de diploma legal que tenha sido submetido para promulgação, tratado internacional que lhe tenha sido submetido para ratificação ou acordo internacional que lhe tenha sido remetido para assinatura.
2. Pode ainda requerer a apreciação preventiva da constitucionalidade de qualquer norma constante de diploma legal que tenha sido submetido à promulgação um décimo dos Deputados à Assembleia Nacional em efectividade de funções.
... (Art. 228)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. Subject to the provisions of sections 25(2), 47(8)(b), 56(4), 65(5), 123(7)(b) and 124 of this Constitution, any person who alleges that any provision of this Constitution (other than a provision of Chapter II3) has been or is being contravened may, if he has a relevant interest, apply to the High Court for a declaration and for relief under this section.
2. The High Court shall have jurisdiction on an application made under this section to determine whether any provision of this Constitution (other than a provision of Chapter II) has been or is being contravened and to make a declaration accordingly.
3. Where the High Court makes a declaration under this section that a provision of this Constitution has been or is being contravened and the person on whose application the declaration is made has also applied for relief, the High Court may grant to that person such remedy as it considers appropriate, being a remedy available generally under any law in proceedings in the High Court.
4. The Chief Justice may make provision, or authorise the making of provision, with respect to the practice and procedure of the High Court in relation to the jurisdiction and powers conferred on the court by or under this section, including provision with respect to the time within which any application under this section may be made.
5. A person shall be regarded as having a relevant interest for the purpose of an application under this section only if the contravention of this Constitution alleged by him is such as to affect his interests.
6. The rights conferred on a person by this section to apply for a declaration and relief in respect of an alleged contravention of this Constitution shall be in addition to any other action in respect of the same matter that may be available to that person under any other law or any rule of law.
7. Nothing in this section shall confer jurisdiction on the High Court to hear or determine any such question as is referred to in section 44 of this Constitution. (Sec. 119)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe Constitutional Court is the judicial body responsible for the protection of constitutionality. (1993 Constitution, Art. 83)
- CzechÚstavní soud je soudním orgánem ochrany ústavnosti. (Ústava 1993, Čl. 83)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
The Constitutional Council is referred to [a matter] by:
• the President of Faso;
• the Prime Minister;
• the President of the National Assembly;
• one-tenth (1/10) at least of the members of the National Assembly.
In addition, any citizen may refer [a matter] to the Constitutional Council concerning the constitutionality of the laws, either directly, or through the procedure of the pleadings [exception] of unconstitutionality invoked in a matter [affaire] which concerns them before a jurisdiction. This must postpone [the matter] until the decision of the Constitutional Council which must intervene within a maximum period of time of thirty days counting from its referral [to the matter].
The Constitutional Council can refer itself to any questions relative to its competence, if it judges it necessary. (Art. 157) - French
Le Conseil constitutionnel est saisi par :
• le Président du Faso;
• le Premier ministre;
• le Président de l'Assemblée nationale;
• un dixième (1/10) au moins des membres de chaque chambre du Parlement.
En outre, tout citoyen peut saisir le Conseil constitutionnel sur la constitutionnalité des lois, soit directement, soit par la procédure de l’exception d’inconstitutionnalité invoquée dans une affaire qui le concerne devant une juridiction. Celle-ci doit surseoir jusqu’à la décision du Conseil constitutionnel qui doit intervenir dans un délai maximum de trente jours à compter de sa saisine.
Le Conseil constitutionnel peut se saisir de toutes questions relevant de sa compétence s’il le juge nécessaire. (Art. 157)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
The Supreme Federal Court is responsible, essentially, for safeguarding the Constitution, and it is within its competence:
I – to institute legal proceeding and trial, in the first instance, of:
a) direct actions of unconstitutionality of a federal or state law or normative act, and declaratory actions of constitutionality of a federal law or normative act;
b) in common criminal offenses, the President of the Republic, the Vice-President, the members of the National Congress, its own Justices and the Attorney-General of the Republic;
c) in common criminal offenses and crimes of malversation, the Ministers of State and the Commanders of the Navy, the Army, and the Air Force, except as provided in article 52, I, the members of the Superior Courts, those of the Federal Audit Court and the heads of permanent diplomatic missions;
d) habeas corpus, when the petitioner is any one of the persons referred to in the preceding subitems; the writ of mandamus and habeas data against acts of the President of the Republic, of the Directing Boards of the Chamber of Deputies and of the Federal Senate, of the Federal Audit Court, of the Attorney-General of the Republic and of the Supreme Federal Court itself;
e) litigation between a foreign State or an international organization and the Union, a state, the Federal District or a territory;
f) disputes and conflicts between the Union and the states, the Union and the Federal District, or between one another, including the respective indirect administration bodies;
g) extradition requested by a foreign state;
h) (revoked);
i) habeas corpus, when the constraining party is a Superior Court, or when the constraining party or the petitioner is an authority or employee whose acts are directly subject to the jurisdiction of the Supreme Federal Court, or in the case of a crime, subject to the same jurisdiction in one sole instance;
j) criminal review of and actions to overrule its final judgements;
l) claims for the preservation of its powers and guarantee of the authority of its decisions;
m) enforcement of court decisions in the cases where it has original competence, the delegation of duties to perform procedural acts being allowed;
n) a suit in which all members of the judicature are directly or indirectly involved, and a suit in which more than half of the members of the court of origin are disqualified or have a direct or indirect interest;
o) conflicts of powers between the Superior Court of Justice and any other courts, between Superior Courts, or between the latter and any other court;
p) petitions of provisional remedy in direct actions of unconstitutionality;
q) writs of injunction, when drawing up of the regulation is the responsibility of the President of the Republic, of the National Congress, of the Chamber of Deputies, of the Federal Senate, of the Directing Boards of one of these legislative houses, of the Federal Audit Court, of one of the Superior Courts, or of the Supreme Federal Court itself;
r) lawsuits against the National Council of Justice and against the National Council of the Public Prosecution;
II – to judge on ordinary appeal:
a) habeas corpus, writs of mandamus, habeas data and writs of injunction decided in a sole instance by the Superior Courts, in the event of a denial;
b) political crimes;
III – to judge, on extraordinary appeal, cases decided in a sole or last instance, when the decision appealed:
a) is contrary to a provision of this Constitution;
b) declares a treaty or a federal law unconstitutional;
c) considers valid a law or act of a local government contested in the light of this Constitution;
d) considers valid a local law challenged in the light of a federal law.
Paragraph 1. A claim of non-compliance with a fundamental precept deriving from this Constitution shall be examined by the Supreme Federal Court, under the terms of the law.
… (Art. 102) - Portuguese
Compete ao Supremo Tribunal Federal, precipuamente, a guarda da Constituição, cabendo-lhe:
I - processar e julgar, originariamente:
a) a ação direta de inconstitucionalidade de lei ou ato normativo federal ou estadual e a ação declaratória de constitucionalidade de lei ou ato normativo federal;
b) nas infrações penais comuns, o Presidente da República, o Vice-Presidente, os membros do Congresso Nacional, seus próprios Ministros e o Procurador-Geral da República;
c) nas infrações penais comuns e nos crimes de responsabilidade, os Ministros de Estado e os Comandantes da Marinha, do Exército e da Aeronáutica, ressalvado o disposto no art. 52, I, os membros dos Tribunais Superiores, os do Tribunal de Contas da União e os chefes de missão diplomática de caráter permanente;
d) o habeas corpus, sendo paciente qualquer das pessoas referidas nas alíneas anteriores; o mandado de segurança e o habeas data contra atos do Presidente da República, das Mesas da Câmara dos Deputados e do Senado Federal, do Tribunal de Contas da União, do Procurador-Geral da República e do próprio Supremo Tribunal Federal;
e) o litígio entre Estado estrangeiro ou organismo internacional e a União, o Estado, o Distrito Federal ou o Território;
f) as causas e os conflitos entre a União e os Estados, a União e o Distrito Federal, ou entre uns e outros, inclusive as respectivas entidades da administração indireta;
g) a extradição solicitada por Estado estrangeiro;
h) (Revogado pela Emenda Constitucional nº 45, de 2004)
i) o habeas corpus, quando o coator for Tribunal Superior ou quando o coator ou o paciente for autoridade ou funcionário cujos atos estejam sujeitos diretamente à jurisdição do Supremo Tribunal Federal, ou se trate de crime sujeito à mesma jurisdição em uma única instância;
j) a revisão criminal e a ação rescisória de seus julgados;
l) a reclamação para a preservação de sua competência e garantia da autoridade de suas decisões;
m) a execução de sentença nas causas de sua competência originária, facultada a delegação de atribuições para a prática de atos processuais;
n) a ação em que todos os membros da magistratura sejam direta ou indiretamente interessados, e aquela em que mais da metade dos membros do tribunal de origem estejam impedidos ou sejam direta ou indiretamente interessados;
o) os conflitos de competência entre o Superior Tribunal de Justiça e quaisquer tribunais, entre Tribunais Superiores, ou entre estes e qualquer outro tribunal;
p) o pedido de medida cautelar das ações diretas de inconstitucionalidade;
q) o mandado de injunção, quando a elaboração da norma regulamentadora for atribuição do Presidente da República, do Congresso Nacional, da Câmara dos Deputados, do Senado Federal, das Mesas de uma dessas Casas Legislativas, do Tribunal de Contas da União, de um dos Tribunais Superiores, ou do próprio Supremo Tribunal Federal;
r) as ações contra o Conselho Nacional de Justiça e contra o Conselho Nacional do Ministério Público;
II - julgar, em recurso ordinário:
a) o habeas corpus, o mandado de segurança, o habeas data e o mandado de injunção decididos em única instância pelos Tribunais Superiores, se denegatória a decisão;
b) o crime político;
III - julgar, mediante recurso extraordinário, as causas decididas em única ou última instância, quando a decisão recorrida:
a) contrariar dispositivo desta Constituição;
b) declarar a inconstitucionalidade de tratado ou lei federal;
c) julgar válida lei ou ato de governo local contestado em face desta Constituição.
d) julgar válida lei local contestada em face de lei federal.
§ 1.º A argüição de descumprimento de preceito fundamental, decorrente desta Constituição, será apreciada pelo Supremo Tribunal Federal, na forma da lei.
… (Art. 102)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. A Special Highest Court shall be established, the jurisdiction of which shall comprise:
a) The trial of objections in accordance with article 58.
b) Verification of the validity and returns of a referendum held in accordance with article 44 paragraph 2.
c) Judgment in cases involving the incompatibility or the forfeiture of office by a Member of Parliament, in accordance with article 55 paragraph 2 and article 57.
d) Settlement of any conflict between the courts and the administrative authorities, or between the Supreme Administrative Court and the ordinary administrative courts on one hand and the civil and criminal courts on the other, or between the Court of Audit and any other court.
e) Settlement of controversies on whether the content of a statute enacted by Parliament is contrary to the Constitution, or on the interpretation of provisions of such statute when conflicting judgments have been pronounced by the Supreme Administrative Court, the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court or the Court of Audit.
f) The settlement of controversies related to the designation of rules of international law as generally acknowledged in accordance with article 28 paragraph 1.
…
5. When a section of the Supreme Administrative Court or chamber of the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court or of the Court of Audit judges a provision of a statute to be contrary to the Constitution, it is bound to refer the question to the respective plenum, unless this has been judged by a previous decision of the plenum or of the Special Highest Court of this article. The plenum shall be assembled into judicial formation and shall decide definitively, as specified by law. This regulation shall also apply accordingly to the elaboration of regulatory decrees by the Supreme Administrative Court. (Art. 100) - Greek1. Συνιστάται Aνώτατο Eιδικό Δικαστήριο στο οποίο υπάγονται:
α) H εκδίκαση ενστάσεων κατά το άρθρο 58.
β) O έλεγχος του κύρους και των αποτελεσμάτων δημοψηφίσματος που ενεργείται κατά το άρθρο 44 παράγραφος 2.
γ) H κρίση για τα ασυμβίβαστα ή την έκπτωση βουλευτή, κατά τα άρθρα 55 παράγραφος 2 και 57.
δ) H άρση των συγκρούσεων μεταξύ των δικαστηρίων και των διοικητικών αρχών ή μεταξύ του Συμβουλίου της Eπικρατείας και των τακτικών διοικητικών δικαστηρίων αφενός και των αστικών και ποινικών δικαστηρίων αφετέρου ή, τέλος, μεταξύ του Eλεγκτικού Συνεδρίου και των λοιπών δικαστηρίων.
ε) H άρση της αμφισβήτησης για την ουσιαστική αντισυνταγματικότητα ή την έννοια διατάξεων τυπικού νόμου, αν εκδόθηκαν γι' αυτές αντίθετες αποφάσεις του Συμβουλίου της Eπικρατείας, του Aρείου Πάγου ή του Eλεγκτικού Συνεδρίου.
στ) H άρση της αμφισβήτησης για το χαρακτηρισμό κανόνων του διεθνούς δικαίου ως γενι- κά παραδεγμένων κατά την παράγραφο 1 του άρθρου 28.
…
5. Όταν τμήμα του Συμβουλίου της Επικρατείας ή του Αρείου Πάγου ή του Ελεγκτικού Συνεδρίου κρίνει διάταξη τυπικού νόμου αντισυνταγματική παραπέμπει υποχρεωτικά το ζήτημα στην οικεία ολομέλεια, εκτός αν αυτό έχει κριθεί με προηγούμενη απόφαση της ολομέλειας ή του Ανώτατου Ειδικού Δικαστηρίου του άρθρου αυτού. Η ολομέλεια συγκροτείται σε δικαστικό σχηματισμό και αποφαίνεται οριστικά, όπως νόμος ορίζει. Η ρύθμιση αυτή εφαρμόζεται αναλόγως και κατά την επεξεργασία των κανονιστικών διαταγμάτων από το Συμβούλιο της Επικρατείας. ('Αρθρο 100)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English(1) The Constitutional Council shall give a final ruling on:
- the constitutionality of laws, treaties and international agreements;
- the constitutionality of the standing orders of the National Assembly and the Senate prior to their implementation;
- conflict of powers between State institutions; between the State and the Regions, and between the Regions.
(2) Matters may be referred to the Constitutional Council by the President of the Republic, the President of the National Assembly, the President of the Senate, one-third of the members of the National Assembly or one-third of the Senators.
Presidents of regional executives may refer matters to the Constitutional Council whenever the interests of their Regions are at stake.
(3) Laws as well as treaties and international agreements may, prior to their enactment, be referred to the Constitutional Council by the President of the Republic, the President of the National Assembly, the President of the Senate, one-third of the members of the National Assembly, one third of the Senators, or the Presidents of the regional executives pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (2) above.
...
(4) The Constitutional Council shall advice in matters falling under its jurisdiction. (Art. 47) - French(1) Le Conseil Constitutionnel statue souverainement sur :
- La constitutionnalité des lois, des traités et accords internationaux ;
- les règlements intérieurs de lʼAssemblée Nationale et du Sénat, avant leur mise en application, quant à leur conformité à la Constitution ;
- les conflits dʼattribution : entre les institutions de lʼEtat ; entre lʼEtat et les régions ; entre les régions.
(2) Le Conseil Constitutionnel est saisi par le Président de la République, le président de lʼAssemblée Nationale, le président du Sénat, un tiers des députés ou un tiers des sénateurs.
Les présidents des exécutifs des régionaux peuvent saisir le Conseil Constitutionnel lorsque les intérêts de leur région sont en cause.
(3) Avant leur promulgation, les lois ainsi que les traités et accords internationaux peuvent être déférés au Conseil Constitutionnel par le Président de la République, le président de lʼAssemblée Nationale, le président du Sénat, un tiers des députés ou un tiers des sénateurs, les présidents des exécutifs régionaux conformément aux dispositions de lʼalinéa 2 ci-dessus.
...
(4) Le Conseil Constitutionnel donne des avis sur des matières relevant de sa compétence. (Art. 47)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English…
(2) Without derogating from the generality of subsection (1) the High Court has jurisdiction -
(a) to enforce the fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed by this Constitution; and
(b) to hear and determine any matter of a constitutional nature.
… (Sec. 151)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishWithout prejudice to the provisions of the Constitution and if need be, the law, the organisation and operations of the National Council are determined by the rule of procedure which the Council issued.
Before being enforced, these rules of procedure must be submitted to the Supreme Court, which decides on its compliance with the Constitution and, if need be, with law. (Art. 61) - FrenchSous réserve des dispositions constitutionnelles et, le cas échéant, législatives, l'organisation et le fonctionnement du Conseil National sont déterminés par le règlement intérieur arrêté par le Conseil.
Ce règlement doit, avant sa mise en application, être soumis au Tribunal Suprême, qui se prononce sur sa conformité aux dispositions constitutionnelles et, le cas échéant, législatives. (Art. 61)