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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.
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. While the Constitutional Court is not legally installed, the administration of justice in matters of a legal and constitutional nature continues to be carried out by the Supreme Court of Justice that shall have the power:
a) To review for constitutionality and legality pursuant to Articles 277 and others thereafter, except as foreseen in paragraph 1, subparagraph b) of Article 278;
b) To verify the death and declare the permanent physical or mental incapacity of the President of the Republic, as well as declare temporary impediments to the exercise of his or her duties;
c) To verify the loss of office of the President in cases of conviction of crimes committed in the exercise of functions and in other cases foreseen in the Constitution;
d) To verify the death and declare the incapacity for the exercise of the presidential function by any candidate for President of the Republic;
e) To verify preventively the constitutionality and legality of national and local referendum proposals;
f) To perform all other functions as may be assigned by the Constitution and by the law.
2. Both the Supreme Court of Justice and the Constitutional Court, specifically, in matters concerning electoral procedures, shall have the power:
a) To receive and admit nominations for President of the Republic;
b) To judge in the final instance the regularity and validity of electoral procedures, under the terms of the law;
c) To judge, at the request of their members and under the terms of the law, appeals related to the loss of office and to the elections held in the National Assembly, in the assemblies of local administrations and, in general, in any elective collegial organs foreseen in the Constitution;
d) To perform all other functions assigned by law.
3. Both the Supreme Court of Justice and the Constitutional Court, specifically in matters concerning political party organizations, shall have the power:
a) To verify the legality of the constitution of political parties and their coalitions, as well as to assess the legality of their names, abbreviations and symbols;
b) To ensure, maintain and update the registration of political parties and their coalitions, under the terms of the law;
c) To declare the illegality of political parties and their coalitions, and order their dissolution, under the terms of the Constitution and the law;
d) To judge the challenges encountered in elections and decisions of organs of political parties that, under the terms of the law, are subject to appeal;
e) To perform all other functions assigned by law. (Art. 294) - Portuguese1. Enquanto o Tribunal Constitucional não for legalmente instalado, a administração da justiça em matérias de natureza jurídico-constitucional continua a ser feita pelo Supremo Tribunal de Justiça, ao qual compete:
a) Fiscalizar a constitucionalidade e a legalidade nos termos dos artigos 277º e seguintes, excepto nos casos previstos no número 1, alínea b) do artigo 278º;
b) Verificar a morte e declarar a incapacidade física ou psíquica permanente do Presidente da República, bem como declarar os impedimentos temporários para o exercício das suas funções;
c) Verificar a perda do cargo do Presidente da República nos casos de condenação por crimes cometidos no exercício de funções e noutros previstos na Constituição;
d) Verificar a morte e declarar a incapacidade para o exercício da função presidencial de qualquer candidato a Presidente da República;
e) Verificar preventivamente a constitucionalidade e legalidade das propostas de referendo nacional e local;
f) Exercer as demais funções que lhe sejam atribuídas pela Constituição e pela lei.
2. Compete, ainda, ao Supremo Tribunal de Justiça enquanto Tribunal Constitucional, especificamente, em matéria de processo eleitoral:
a) Receber e admitir candidaturas para Presidente da República;
b) Julgar em última instância a regularidade e a validade dos actos de processo eleitoral, nos termos da lei;
c) Julgar, a requerimento dos respectivos membros e nos termos da lei, os recursos relativos a perda de mandato e às eleições realizadas na Assembleia Nacional, nas assembleias das autarquias locais e, no geral, em quaisquer órgãos colegiais electivos previstos na Constituição;
d) Exercer as demais funções atribuídas por lei.
3. Compete também ao Supremo Tribunal de Justiça, enquanto Tribunal Constitucional, especificamente, em matéria de organizações político-partidárias:
a) Verificar a legalidade da constituição de partidos politicos e suas coligações, bem como apreciar a legalidade das suas denominações, siglas e símbolos;
b) Assegurar, conservar e actualizar o registo dos partidos politicos e suas coligações, nos termos da lei;
c) Declarar a ilegalidade de partidos políticos e suas coligações, ordenando a respectiva extinção, nos termos da Constituição e da lei;
d) Julgar as acções de impugnação de eleições e deliberações de órgãos de partidos políticos que, nos termos da lei, sejam recorríveis;
e) Exercer as demais funções atribuídas por lei. (Art. 294)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishWhere any person or any association alleges that any of the rights granted under this Constitution or any legislation or directives are constitutionally contravened, that person or association may invoke the privilege and benefit of court direction, order or writ, including a judgment of unconstitutionality; and anyone injured by an act of the Government or any person acting under its authority, whether in property, contract, tort or otherwise, shall have the right to bring suit for appropriate redress. All such suits brought against the Government shall originate in a Claims Court; appeals from judgment of the Claims Court shall lie directly to the Supreme Court. (Art. 26)
Jurisdiction and Access
- 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
- English
…
Before any ratification, the treaties are submitted by the President of the Republic, to the control of constitutionality of the High Constitutional Court.
… (Art. 137) - French
…
Avant toute ratification, les traités sont soumis par le Président de la République, au contrôle de constitutionnalité de la Haute Cour Constitutionnelle.
… (Art. 137)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
The following recourses and mechanisms of constitutional control are also established:
1) The Recourse of Habeas Data as guarantee of protection [tutela] of personal data established [asentados] in archives, registers, databases or other technical means, of public or private nature, whose publicity constitutes [an] invasion of personal privacy and has relevance to the treatment of sensitive data of the persons in their intimate and familiar domain [ámbito]. The Recourse of Habeas Data proceeds in favor of any person to know in what circumstances, to what ends, when, and who makes contact with their personal data and its improper [indebida] publicity.
2) The conflict of competence and constitutionality between the Powers of the State. The representatives of the Powers of the State will promote the conflict of competence and constitutionality when they consider that a law, decree or regulation, act, resolution or provision of another organ [órgano], invades the domain of their privative constitutional competences.
3) The control of constitutionality in [a] concrete case as incidental mechanism of control. When in a case submitted to the cognizance of [a] judicial authority, it considers that a norm on whose validity the decision [fallo] depends is contrary to the Constitution, it must proceed to declare its unconstitutionality for that specific [en concreto] case. The parties in the process may solicit the unconstitutionality of a norm that is being applied to the case. The judicial authority must pronounce itself on the point, accepting [acogiendo] or rejecting the claim [pretensión].
4) The conflicts of constitutionality between the Central Government and the Municipal Governments and [Governments] of the Autonomous Regions of the Caribbean Coast.
The Law of Constitutional Justice will regulate the recourses and mechanism established in this chapter.3 (Art. 190) - Spanish
Se establecen también los siguientes recursos y mecanismos de control constitucional:
1) El Recurso de Habeas Data como garantía de tutela de datos personales asentados en archivos, registros, bancos de datos u otros medios técnicos, de naturaleza pública o privada, cuya publicidad constituya invasión a la privacidad personal y tenga relevancia con el tratamiento de datos sensibles de las personas en su ámbito íntimo y familiar. El Recurso de Habeas Data procede a favor de toda persona para saber quién, cuándo, con qué fines y en qué circunstancias toma contacto con sus datos personales y su publicidad indebida.
2) El conflicto de competencia y constitucionalidad entre los Poderes del Estado. Los representantes de los Poderes del Estado promoverán el conflicto de competencia y constitucionalidad cuando consideren que una ley, decreto o reglamento, acto, resolución o disposición de otro órgano, invade el ámbito de sus competencias privativas constitucionales.
3) El control de constitucionalidad en caso concreto como un mecanismo incidental de control. Cuando en un caso sometido al conocimiento de autoridad judicial, ésta considere que una norma de cuya validez depende el fallo es contraria a la Constitución, deberá proceder a declarar su inconstitucionalidad para el caso en concreto. Las partes en el proceso pueden solicitar la inconstitucionalidad de una norma que se esté aplicando al caso. La autoridad judicial deberá pronunciarse sobre el punto, acogiendo o rechazando la pretensión.
4) Los conflictos de constitucionalidad entre el Gobierno Central y los Gobiernos Municipales y de las Regiones Autónomas de la Costa Caribe.
La Ley de Justicia Constitucional regulará los recursos y mecanismos establecidos en este capítulo. (Art. 190)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishA.- In constitutional matters, the Supreme Court rules in sovereign fashion over:
1°) compliance of the National Council’s rules of procedure with constitutional and, if need be, legislative provisions under the conditions prescribed by article 61;
2°) appeals on petitions for annulment, petitions to review validity and actions for damages arising from violations of these rights and freedoms prescribed in chapter III3 of the Constitution, and which are not referred to in subsection B of the present article.
…
C.- The Supreme Court rules over conflicts of jurisdiction. (Art. 90) - FrenchA. - En matière constitutionnelle, le Tribunal Suprême statue souverainement :
l°) sur la conformité du règlement intérieur du Conseil National aux dispositions constitutionnelles et, le cas échéant, législatives, dans les conditions prévues à l'article 61 ;
2°) sur les recours en annulation, en appréciation de validité et en indemnité ayant pour objet une atteinte aux libertés et droits consacrés par le Titre III de la Constitution, et qui ne sont pas visés au paragraphe B du présent article.
…
C.- Le Tribunal Suprême statue sur les conflits de compétence juridictionnelle. (Art. 90)
Jurisdiction and Access
- 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
- English1. The Constitutional Council is a sovereign public office with special jurisdiction to administer justice in matters of a legal-constitutional nature.
… (Art. 240) - Portuguese1. O Conselho Constitucional é o órgão de soberania, ao qual compete especialmente administrar a justiça, em matérias de natureza jurídico-constitucional.
… (Art. 240)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishSubject to the provisions of section 39(8), an appeal shall lie from decisions of the High Court to the Court of Appeal as of right in the following cases—
(a) final decisions in any civil or criminal proceedings on questions as to the interpretation of this Constitution;
(b) final decisions given in exercise of the jurisdiction conferred on the High Court by section 16 (which relates to the enforcement of the fundamental rights and freedoms); and
(c) such other cases as may be prescribed by Parliament. (Sec. 107)