constitutional change
Foundational law revision
Constitutional change is any alteration to a constitution—the fundamental law governing a nation or organization.
Such changes typically require special procedures beyond ordinary legislation: supermajorities, referendums, or ratification by states or provinces.
The amendment process makes constitutional change deliberately difficult.
Constitutional change may be formal (amendments) or informal (judicial reinterpretation, evolving practice).
- amendmentChange to official text
- bill of rightsDocument listing protected liberties
- Magna CartaCharter curbing royal authority
- founding fathersMale originators of institutions
- documentWritten or electronic file
reform · ratification · supreme court · judicial review · checks and balances · minority protections · civil rights · due process · promulgation · federalism · vote · popular vote · decentralization · sovereignty · codification · ballot · referendum · revolution
- postwarrebuilding, demobilization, peace treaties, treaty signing, war reparations
- Hungary 1989democratic transition, round table talks, free elections, border opening, Iron Curtain
- power consolidationconsolidation, centralization, dominance, power grab, takeover
- Nyasalandprotectorate, British rule, colonial rule
- Swiss Regenerationliberal reforms, democratic reforms
constitutional changestatus quo
Existing condition of affairs
constitution, constitutional, constitutionally, constitute, constituted, constituting, constitutes, constituent, constituents