SEARCH DATABASE
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
- English(1) Subject to this Constitution, the Supreme Court has original jurisdiction, to the exclusion of other courts, as to any question relating to the interpretation or application of any provision of a Constitutional Law.
(2) Subject to this Constitution, where any question relating to the interpretation or application of any provision of a Constitutional Law arises in any court or tribunal, other than the Supreme Court, the court or tribunal shall, unless the question is trivial, vexatious or irrelevant, refer the matter to the Supreme Court, and take whatever other action (including the adjournment of proceedings) is appropriate. (Sec. 18)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThe organic laws are submitted by the Prime Minister to the Constitutional Court before their promulgation.
The other categories of law, before their promulgation, can be deferred to the Constitutional Court either by the President of the Republic, or by the Prime Minister, or by the President of the National Assembly or [by] one-tenth of the Deputies, or by the President of the High Council of the Collectivities or [by] one-tenth of the National Councilors, or by the President of the Supreme Court. (Art. 88) - FrenchLes lois organiques sont soumises par le Premier Ministre à la Cour Constitutionnelle avant leur promulgation.
Les autres catégories de lois, avant leur promulgation, peuvent être déférées à la Cour Constitutionnelle soit par le Président de la République, soit par le Premier Ministre, soit par le Président de l'Assemblée Nationale ou un dixième des députés, soit par le Haut Conseil des Collectivités ou un dixième des Conseillers Nationaux, soit par le Président de la Cour Suprême. (Art. 88)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
1. The Constitutional Court resolves constitutional disputes and makes the definitive interpretation of the Constitution.
2. The Constitutional Court is subject only to the Constitution.
… (Art. 124) - Albanian
1. Gjykata Kushtetuese zgjidh mosmarrëveshjet kushtetuese dhe bën interpretimin përfundimtar të Kushtetutës.
2. Gjykata Kushtetuese i nënshtrohet vetëm Kushtetutës.
… (Neni 124)
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
- English
The President of the Republic signs the accords of armistice and the peace treaties.
He obtains the opinion of the Constitutional Court on the accords which he reports to it.
... (Art. 102) - Arabic
يوقّع رئيس الجمهوريّة اتّفاقيّات الهدنة ومعاهدات السّلم.
يلتمس رئيس الجمهورية رأي المحكمة الدستورية بشأن الاتّفاقيّات المتعلّقة بهما.
… (المــادة 102) - French
Le Président de la République signe les accords d’armistice et les traités de paix.
Il recueille l’avis de la Cour constitutionnelle sur les accords qui s’y rapportent.
... (Art. 102)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English...
(2) The High Court shall have original jurisdiction to hear and adjudicate upon all civil disputes and criminal prosecutions, including cases which involve the interpretation, implementation and upholding of this Constitution and the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed thereunder. The High Court shall also have jurisdiction to hear and adjudicate upon appeals from Lower Courts.
(3) The jurisdiction of the High Court with regard to appeals shall be determined by Act of Parliament. (Art. 80)
Jurisdiction and Access
- EnglishThere is for all Belgium a Constitutional Court, the composition, competences and functioning of which are established by the law.
This Court rules by means of judgments on:
1° those conflicts referred to in Article 141;
2° the violation of Articles 10, 11 and 24 by a law, a federate law or a rule as referred to in Article 134;
3° the violation of constitutional articles that the law determines by a law, a federate law or by a rule as referred to in Article 134.
A matter may be referred to the Court by any authority designated by the law, by any person that can prove an interest or, pre-judicially, by any court.
The Court pronounces by a ruling, under the conditions and according to the terms specified by the law, on every referendum described in Article 39bis before it is organised.
In the cases, under the conditions and according to the terms that it specifies, the law can give the Court competence to pronounce by a judgment on appeals lodged against decisions made by legislative assemblies or bodies thereof regarding the control of electoral expenditure incurred in the elections for the House of Representatives.
… (Art. 142) - DutchEr bestaat voor geheel België een Grondwettelijk Hof, waarvan de samenstelling, de bevoegdheid en de werking door de wet worden bepaald.
Dit Hof doet, bij wege van arrest, uitspraak over:
1° de in artikel 141 bedoelde conflicten;
2° de schending door een wet, een decreet of een in artikel 134 bedoelde regel, van de artikelen 10, 11 en 24;
3° de schending door een wet, een decreet of een in artikel 134 bedoelde regel, van de artikelen van de Grondwet die de wet bepaalt.
De zaak kan bij het Hof aanhangig worden gemaakt door iedere bij wet aangewezen overheid, door ieder die doet blijken van een belang of, prejudicieel, door ieder rechtscollege.
Het Hof doet bij wege van beslissing uitspraak over elke in artikel 39bis bedoelde volksraadpleging, voorafgaandelijk aan de organisatie ervan, onder de voorwaarden en op de wijze bepaald door de wet.
De wet kan, in de gevallen en onder de voorwaarden en op de wijze die zij bepaalt, het Hof de bevoegdheid toekennen om, bij wege van arrest, uitspraak te doen over de beroepen die worden ingesteld tegen de beslissingen van wetgevende vergaderingen of hun organen, betreffende de controle van de verkiezingsuitgaven voor de verkiezingen voor de Kamer van volksvertegenwoordigers.
… (Art. 142) - FrenchIl y a, pour toute la Belgique, une Cour constitutionnelle, dont la composition, la compétence et le fonctionnement sont déterminés par la loi.
Cette Cour statue par voie d’arrêt sur:
1° les conflits visés à l’article 141;
2° la violation par une loi, un décret ou une règle visée à l’article 134, des articles 10, 11 et 24;
3° la violation par une loi, un décret ou une règle visée à l’article 134, des articles de la Constitution que la loi détermine.
La Cour peut être saisie par toute autorité que la loi désigne, par toute personne justifiant d’un intérêt ou, à titre préjudiciel, par toute juridiction.
La Cour statue par voie de décision sur chaque consultation populaire visée à l’article 39bis, préalablement à son organisation, dans les conditions et selon les modalités fixées par la loi.
La loi peut, dans les cas et selon les conditions et les modalités qu’elle détermine, attribuer à la Cour la compétence de statuer, par voie d’arrêt, sur les recours formés contre les décisions des assemblées législatives ou de leurs organes, en matière de contrôle des dépenses électorales engagées pour les élections pour la Chambre des représentants.
… (Art. 142) - GermanEs gibt für ganz Belgien einen Verfassungsgerichtshof, dessen Zusammensetzung, Zuständigkeit und Arbeitsweise durch Gesetz bestimmt werden.
Dieser Verfassungsgerichtshof befindet im Wege eines Entscheids über:
1. die in Artikel 141 erwähnten Konflikte;
2. die Verletzung der Artikel 10, 11 und 24 durch ein Gesetz, ein Dekret oder eine in Artikel 134 erwähnte Regel;
3. die Verletzung der Verfassungsartikel, die das Gesetz bestimmt, durch ein Gesetz, ein Dekret oder eine in Artikel 134 erwähnte Regel.
Der Verfassungsgerichtshof kann angerufen werden von jeder durch Gesetz bezeichneten Behörde, von jedem, der ein Interesse nachweist, oder, zwecks Vorabentscheidung, von jedem Rechtsprechungsorgan.
Der Verfassungsgerichtshof befindet unter Bedingungen und gemäß Modalitäten, die das Gesetz festlegt, im Wege einer Entscheidung über jede in Artikel 39bis erwähnte Volksbefragung vor deren Organisation.
Das Gesetz kann in Fällen, unter Bedingungen und gemäß Modalitäten, die es bestimmt, dem Verfassungsgerichtshof die Zuständigkeit übertragen, im Wege eines Entscheids über Beschwerden zu befinden, die gegen die von gesetzgebenden Versammlungen oder ihren Organen gefassten Beschlüsse über die Kontrolle der Wahlausgaben für die Wahlen der Abgeordnetenkammer eingelegt werden.
… (Art. 142)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. There shall be a Constitutional Court which is an independent body composed of a President, Vice-President and three members, who -as well as the three deputy members -shall be appointed for a period of five years at the recommendation of the National Assembly.
2. The tasks of the Constitutional Court shall be:
a. to verify the purport of Acts or parts thereof against the Constitution, and against applicable agreements concluded with other states and with international organization;
b. to assess the consistency of decisions of government institutions with one or more of the constitutional rights mentioned in Chapter V3.
… (Art. 144) - Dutch1. Er is een Constitutioneel Hof, zijnde een onafhankelijk orgaan, dat gevormd wordt door de voorzitter, de vice-voorzitter en drie leden, die – evenals de drie plaatsvervangende leden – voor een periode van vijf jaren op voordracht van De Nationale Assemblée door de President worden benoemd.
2. Het Constitutioneel Hof heeft tot taak:
a. het toetsen van de inhoud van wetten of gedeelten daarvan aan de Grondwet en aan van toepassing zijnde overeenkomsten met andere mogendheden en met volkenrechtelijke organisaties;
b. Het beoordelen van de verenigbaarheid van besluiten van overheidsorganen met één of meer der in Hoofdstuk V genoemde grondrechten.
... (Art. 144)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English
The Constitutional Court, at the demand of the President of the Republic or of any member of the National Assembly, decides on the constitutionality of the laws before their promulgation.
It decides[,] of office[,] on the constitutionality of the laws and any regulatory texts which would infringe the fundamental rights of the human person and the public freedoms. It decides more generally on the violations of the rights of the human person and its decision must intervene within a time period of eight days. (Art. 121) - French
La Cour constitutionnelle, à la demande du président de la République ou de tout membre de l'Assemblée nationale, se prononce sur la constitutionnalité des lois avant leur promulgation.
Elle se prononce d'office sur la constitutionnalité des lois et de tout texte réglementaire censés porter atteinte aux droits fondamentaux de la personne humaine et aux libertés publiques. Elle statue plus généralement sur les violations des droits de la personne humaine et sa décision doit intervenir dans un délai de huit jours. (Art. 121)
Jurisdiction and Access
- English1. The Constitutional Court shall be responsible for reviewing for unconstitutionality and illegality, pursuant to Articles 144 and following.
2. The Constitutional Court shall also be responsible for:
a) Verifying the death and the permanent physical impossibility of the President of the Republic, as well as verifying temporary inability of the President of the Republic to perform official duties;
b) Verifying the forfeiture of office of the President of the Republic, in the cases set forth in paragraph 3 of Article 85 and paragraph 3 of Article 86;
c) Judging in the final instance the regularity and validity of the acts of the electoral proceedings, under the terms of the law;
d) Verifying the death and declaring the incapacitation for the performance of the presidential duties of any candidate for the President of the Republic, for the purposes pursuant to paragraph 2 of Article 78;
e) Verifying the legality of the constitution of political parties and their coalitions, as well as evaluating the legality of their denominations, abbreviations and symbols, and ordering the dissolution, under the terms of the Constitution and of the law.
f) Verifying in advance the constitutionality and legality of national, regional and local referendums, including assessment of the relevant requirements for the respective electorate;
g) Judging at the request of the Deputies, under the terms of the law, appeals relating to loss of parliamentary seat and the elections held in the National Assembly and the Regional and Local Assemblies;
h) Judging actions against elections and resolutions of organs of political parties that, under the terms of the law, may be subject to appeal.
3. It is also the responsibility of the Constitutional Court to exercise such other functions as may be assigned by the Constitution and by the law. (Art. 133) - Portuguese1. Compete ao Tribunal Constitucional apreciar a inconstitucionalidade e a ilegalidade, nos termos dos Artigos 144.º e seguintes.
2. Compete também ao Tribunal Constitucional:
a) Verificar a morte e 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 do Presidente da República, nos casos previstos no numero 3 do Artigo 85.º e no numero 3 do Artigo 86.º;
c) Julgar em última instância a regularidade e a validade dos actos do 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 número 2 do Artigo 78.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;
g) Julgar, a requerimento dos Deputados, nos termos da lei, os recursos relativos à perda do mandato e às eleições realizadas na Assembleia Nacional e nas Assembleias Regional e Locais;
h) Julgar as acções de impugnação de eleições e de 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. 133)