constitutional reforms
Fundamental legal amendments
Constitutional reforms are changes to a country's constitution—its foundational legal document.
These may involve amending existing provisions, adding new rights or structures, or overhauling the document entirely.
Constitutional reforms typically address governmental powers, civil liberties, or electoral systems: The movement demanded constitutional reforms to limit presidential terms.
Such changes usually require supermajority votes or special procedures beyond ordinary legislation.
- checks and balancesConstitutional power-limiting framework
- federalismDivided governmental authority system
- separation of powersConstitutional distribution of authority
- decentralizationDistributing power from center
- popular sovereigntyPopulace holds ultimate authority
judicial independence · unicameralism · minority rights · bill of rights · civil liberties · human rights · ratification · founding fathers · habeas corpus · framers · democracy · term limits · judicial review · parliamentary procedures · gender equality · anti-discrimination laws · rule of law · preamble
constitutional reformsrevolution
Violent governmental overthrow
regime change · coup d'état · overthrow · status quo · originalism
constitutional reformsabsolute rule
Unrestricted governmental power
rule by decree · despotism · autocracy · martial law · emergency rule