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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) The President may appoint a woman or man to serve as an acting Deputy Chief Justice or judge of the Constitutional Court if there is a vacancy in any of those offices, or if the person holding such an office is absent. The appointment must be made on the recommendation of the Cabinet member responsible for the administration of justice acting with the concurrence of the Chief Justice, and an appointment as acting Deputy Chief Justice must be made from the ranks of the judges who had been appointed to the Constitutional Court in terms of section 174(4).
… (Sec. 175)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishIf, during proceedings in progress before a court of law, it is claimed that a legislative provision infringes the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, the matter may be referred by the Conseil d’État or by the Cour de Cassation to the Constitutional Council which shall rule within a determined period.
… (1958 Constitution, Art. 61-1) - FrenchLorsque, à l'occasion d'une instance en cours devant une juridiction, il est soutenu qu'une disposition législative porte atteinte aux droits et libertés que la Constitution garantit, le Conseil constitutionnel peut être saisi de cette question sur renvoi du Conseil d'État ou de la Cour de cassation qui se prononce dans un délai déterminé.
… (Constitution 1958, Art. 61-1)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. Appropriate principles of interpretation of this Constitution shall be developed and employed by the courts to reflect the unique character and supreme status of this Constitution.
2. In interpreting the provisions of this Constitution a court of law shall—
a. promote the values which underlie an open and democratic society;
b. take full account of the provisions of Chapter III and Chapter IV2; and
c. where applicable, have regard to current norms of public international law and comparable foreign case law.
3. Where a court of law declares an act of executive or a law to be invalid, that court may apply such interpretation of that act or law as is consistent with this Constitution.
4. Any law that ousts or purports to oust the jurisdiction of the courts to entertain matters pertaining to this Constitution shall be invalid. (Sec. 11)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. Preventive review of the constitutionality may be requested from the Constitutional Court:
a) By the President of the Republic, in respect of any rule contained in an international treaty or agreement that is referred to it for ratification, as well as in respect of any provision of legislation it has been sent for promulgation as a law, legislative decree or decree-law;
b) By, at least, fifteen Deputies in full exercise of their functions or by the Prime Minister in respect of any rule contained in a legislation act sent to the President for promulgation as law subject to approval by a qualified majority.
… (Art. 278) - Portuguese1. A apreciação preventiva da constitucionalidade pode ser requerida ao Tribunal Constitucional:
a) Pelo Presidente da República, relativamente a qualquer norma constante de tratado ou acordo internacional que lhe tenha sido submetido para ratificação, bem como relativamente a qualquer norma constante de acto legislativo que lhe tenha sido enviado para promulgação como lei, decreto legislativo ou decreto-lei;
b) Por, pelo menos, quinze Deputados em efectividade de funções ou pelo Primeiro Ministro, relativamente a qualquer norma constante de acto legislativo enviado ao Presidente da República para promulgação como lei sujeita a aprovação por maioria qualificada.
… (Art. 278)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
The Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation will take cognizance of, in the terms that the regulatory law specifies, the following matters:
I. Of the constitutional disputes [controversias] that, concerning the constitutionality of the general norms, acts or omissions, with the exception of those that refer to electoral matters, arise between:
a) The Federation and a federative entity;
b) The Federation and a municipality;
c) The Executive Power and the Congress of the Union; one or either of the Chambers of it or, in such case, the Permanent Commission;
d) One federative entity and another;
...
g) Two municipalities of different States;
h) Two Powers of one same federative entity;
i) One State and one of its municipalities;
j) One Federative Entity and one Municipality of another or one territorial demarcation of the City of Mexico;
k) Two autonomous constitutional organs [órganos] of one federative entity and between one of these and the Executive Power or the Legislative Power of that federative entity, and
l) Two federal autonomous constitutional organs, and between one of these and the Executive Power of the Union or the Congress of the Union.
...
II. Of the actions of unconstitutionality that have for their object to establish [plantear] the possible contradiction between a norm of general character and this Constitution.
The actions of unconstitutionality can be exercised, during the thirty natural days following the date of publication of the norm, by:
a) The equivalent of thirty-three percent of the members of the Chamber of Deputies of the Congress of the Union, against federal laws;
b) The equivalent of thirty-three percent of the members of the Senate, against the federal laws or international treaties celebrated by the Mexican State;
c) The Federal Executive, through [por conducto] the Juridical Councilor of the Government, against the general norms of federal character and of the federal entities;
d) The equivalent of thirty-three percent of the members of any of the Legislatures of the federative entities against the laws enacted by that same organ;
...
f) The political parties with registration before the National Electoral Institute, by [por conducto] their national directorships [dirigencias], against the federal or local electoral laws; and the political parties with registration in a federative entity, by [a través] their directorships, exclusively against the electoral laws enacted by the Legislature of the federative entity that granted the registration to them;
g) The National Commission of Human Rights, against laws of federal character or of the federative entities, as well as international treaties celebrated by the Federal Executive and approved by the Senate of the Republic, that make vulnerable the human rights consecrated in this Constitution and in the international treaties to which Mexico is party. Also the equivalent organs [organismos] of protection of human rights in the federative entities, against laws enacted by the Legislatures.
h) The guarantor organ [organismo] that Article 6 of this Constitution establishes against laws of federal and local character, as well as [against] international treaties celebrated by the Federal Executive and approved by the Senate of the Republic, which infringe [vulneren] the right of the access to public information and the protection of personal data. In the same way, the equivalent guarantor organs [organismos] in the federative entities, against laws enacted [expedidas] by the local Legislatures; and
i) The Attorney General of the Republic regarding federal laws and [laws] of the federative entities, in penal matters and [matters] of penal procedure, as well as those related to the domain [ámbito] of his functions;
... (Art. 105) - Spanish
La Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación conocerá, en los términos que señale la ley reglamentaria, de los asuntos siguientes:
I. De las controversias constitucionales que, sobre la constitucionalidad de las normas generales, actos u omisiones, con excepción de las que se refieran a la materia electoral, se susciten entre:
a) La Federación y una entidad federativa;
b) La Federación y un municipio;
c) El Poder Ejecutivo y el Congreso de la Unión; aquél y cualquiera de las Cámaras de éste o, en su caso, la Comisión Permanente;
d) Una entidad federativa y otra;
…
g) Dos municipios de diversos Estados;
h) Dos Poderes de una misma entidad federativa;
i) Un Estado y uno de sus Municipios;
j) Una Entidad Federativa y un Municipio de otra o una demarcación territorial de la Ciudad de México;
k) Dos órganos constitucionales autónomos de una entidad federativa, y entre uno de éstos y el Poder Ejecutivo o el Poder Legislativo de esa entidad federativa, y
l) Dos órganos constitucionales autónomos federales, y entre uno de éstos y el Poder Ejecutivo de la Unión o el Congreso de la Unión.
…
II. De las acciones de inconstitucionalidad que tengan por objeto plantear la posible contradicción entre una norma de carácter general y esta Constitución.
Las acciones de inconstitucionalidad podrán ejercitarse, dentro de los treinta días naturales siguientes a la fecha de publicación de la norma, por:
a) El equivalente al treinta y tres por ciento de los integrantes de la Cámara de Diputados del Congreso de la Unión, en contra de leyes federales;
b) El equivalente al treinta y tres por ciento de los integrantes del Senado, en contra de las leyes federales o de tratados internacionales celebrados por el Estado Mexicano;
c) El Ejecutivo Federal, por conducto del Consejero Jurídico del Gobierno, en contra de normas generales de carácter federal y de las entidades federativas;
d) El equivalente al treinta y tres por ciento de los integrantes de alguna de las Legislaturas de las entidades federativas en contra de las leyes expedidas por el propio órgano;
…
f) Los partidos políticos con registro ante el Instituto Nacional Electoral, por conducto de sus dirigencias nacionales, en contra de leyes electorales federales o locales; y los partidos políticos con registro en una entidad federativa, a través de sus dirigencias, exclusivamente en contra de leyes electorales expedidas por la Legislatura de la entidad federativa que les otorgó el registro;
g) La Comisión Nacional de los Derechos Humanos, en contra de leyes de carácter federal o de las entidades federativas, así como de tratados internacionales celebrados por el Ejecutivo Federal y aprobados por el Senado de la República, que vulneren los derechos humanos consagrados en esta Constitución y en los tratados internacionales de los que México sea parte. Asimismo, los organismos de protección de los derechos humanos equivalentes en las entidades federativas, en contra de leyes expedidas por las Legislaturas;
h) El organismo garante que establece el artículo 6° de esta Constitución en contra de leyes de carácter federal y local, así como de tratados internacionales celebrados por el Ejecutivo Federal y aprobados por el Senado de la República, que vulneren el derecho al acceso a la información pública y la protección de datos personales. Asimismo, los organismos garantes equivalentes en las entidades federativas, en contra de leyes expedidas por las Legislaturas locales; e
i) El Fiscal General de la República respect de leyes federales y de las entidades federativas, en materia penal y procesal penal, así como las relacionadas con el ámbito de sus funciones;
... (Art. 105)
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
- English1. The Constitutional Council is competent:
a. to evaluate [apreciar] and to declare the unconstitutionality of the laws and the illegality of the normative acts of the organs of the State;
b. to settle conflicts of competence between the organs of sovereignty;
c. to previously verify the constitutionality of the referenda;
d. to evaluate and to deliberate concerning the dismissal of the Governor of [a] Province and of the Administrator of [a] District, by the President of the Republic;
e. to evaluate and to deliberate concerning the dissolution of the provincial, district and autarchic assemblies, by the Council of Ministers.
2. It belongs also to the Constitutional Council:
a. to verify the legal requisites required for the candidatures to President of the Republic;
b. to declare the permanent incapacity of the President of the Republic;
c. to verify the death and the loss of the mandate of the President of the Republic;
d. to evaluate in last instance, the electoral recourses and complaints, to validate
and to proclaim electoral results in the terms of the law;
e. to decide, in last instance, the legality of the constitution of the political parties and their coalitions, as well as to evaluate the legality of their denominations, acronyms, symbols, and to order the respective extinction in the terms of the Constitution and of the law;
f. to judge the actions of impugning of the elections and of deliberation of the organs of the political parties;
g. to judge the actions that have for [their] object disputes relative to the mandate of the Deputies;
h. to judge the actions that have for [their] object the incompatibilities provided for in the Constitution and in the law.
3. The Constitutional Council exercises the other competences that are attributed to it by law. (Art. 243) - Portuguese1. Compete ao Conselho Constitucional:
a) apreciar e declarar a inconstitucionalidade das leis e a ilegalidade dos actos normativos dos órgãos do Estado;
b) dirimir conflitos de competências entre os órgãos de soberania;
c) verificar previamente a constitucionalidade dos referendos;
d) apreciar e deliberar sobre a demissão do Governador de Província e do Administrador de Distrito, pelo Presidente da República;
e) apreciar e deliberar sobre a dissolução das assembleias provinciais, distritais e autárquicas, pelo Conselho de Ministros.
2. Cabe ainda ao Conselho Constitucional:
a) verificar os requisitos legais exigidos para as candidaturas a Presidente da República;
b) declarar a incapacidade permanente do Presidente da República;
c) verificar a morte e a perda de mandato do Presidente da República;
d) apreciar em última instância, os recursos e as reclamações eleitorais, validar e proclamar os resultados eleitorais nos termos da lei;
e) decidir, em última instância, a legalidade da constituição dos partidos políticos e suas coligações, bem como apreciar a legalidade das suas denominações, siglas, símbolos e ordenar a respectiva extinção nos termos da Constituição e da lei;
f) julgar as acções de impugnação de eleições e de deliberação dos órgãos dos partidos políticos;
g) julgar as acções que tenham por objecto o contencioso relativo ao mandato dos deputados;
h) julgar as acções que tenham por objecto as incompatibilidades previstas na Constituição e na lei.
3. O Conselho Constitucional exerce as demais competências que lhe sejam atribuídas por lei. (Art. 243)
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
- English(1) Subject to sections 23(3), 37(10)(b), 50(7) and 116(2), any person who alleges that any provision of this Constitution (other than a provision of Chapter II2) has been or is being contravened may, if he or she 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 rules 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 or her is such as to affect his or her 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 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 36. (Sec. 96)
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)