What is the Constitution?
A constitution is primarily a set of rules and principles specifying how a country should be governed, how power is distributed and controlled, and what rights citizens possess. It is usually written down and contained within a single document.
Constitutions vary in length but will typically all contain guidance on matters such as those listed below:
- Rules and guidelines for conducting elections: including when and how often elections are held, who can stand for elected office, which processes and procedures are to be applied (including details of the electoral system), and provisions for the oversight of elections.
- The relationship between the key institutions, or branches, of government: the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary. It is usual to set out precisely what powers are held by the different branches, and how individuals within them, including the chief executive, can be checked or removed.
- The location of sovereignty: (ultimate political authority) within a political system
- Ways in which a constitution can be amended: a constitution must contain a clear statement of the processes by which it can be changed
- A statement of the rights of citizens against the state and how to redress might be gained: for example right to a fair trial, free speech, freedom of speech, etc.
- The overall type of government: eg democratic or federal
- What the nation stands for: A constitution begins with a Preamble, a short statement the purpose of which is to neatly summarise and crystallize the values and principles a nation hopes to embody and wishes to project to the rest of the world
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