Constitutional Law in a Nutshell

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................... 5

LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................. 13

ABOUT THE AUTHOR ......................................................................................................... 15

ABOUT THE BOOK & ACKNOWLEDGEMENT...................................................................... 17

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK ................................................................................................... 21

CHAPTER 1: CONSTITUTION AND CONSTITUTIONALISM

INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 27

1. MEANING OF CONSTITUTION..................................................................................... 28

1.1. Definition of Constitutions................................................................................. 28

1.2. Content of Constitutions.................................................................................... 29

1.2.1. Preliminary Chapter (or Preamble) ........................................................ 29

1.2.2. General Principles Chapter..................................................................... 32

1.2.3. Institutions of the State Chapter............................................................ 35

1.2.4. Fundamental Rights and Freedoms Chapter.......................................... 41

1.2.5. Amendment Procedure Chapter............................................................ 45

1.3. Functions of Constitutions................................................................................. 57

1.4. Essentials of Good Constitutions........................................................................ 58

2. CLASSIFICATION OF CONSTITUTIONS ......................................................................... 59

2.1. Written and Written Constitutions.................................................................... 61

2.1.1. Merits and Demerits of Written Constitutions....................................... 62

2.1.2. Merits and Demerits of Unwritten Constitutions................................... 63

2.2. Soft and Rigid Constitutions............................................................................... 64

2.2.1. Merits and Demerits of Soft Constitutions............................................. 66

2.2.2. Merits and Demerits of Rigid Constitutions........................................... 67

2.3. Frame and Regular Constitutions....................................................................... 68

3. CONSTITUTIONALISM................................................................................................. 68

3.1. History of Constitutionalism .............................................................................. 69

3.2. Constitutional History of Turkey ........................................................................ 73

SELF-TEST QUESTIONS............................................................................ 76

IN-TEXT QUESTIONS ............................................................................... 77

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY/FURTHER READING....................................... 77

6 Table of Contents

CHAPTER 2: CONSTITUENT AND CONSTITUTED POWER

INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................81

1. CONSTITUENT POWER ................................................................................................82

1.1. The term of Constituent .....................................................................................82

1.1.1. Sieyès......................................................................................................83

1.1.2. Schmitt....................................................................................................84

2. CONSTITUTED (AMENDING) POWER...........................................................................85

2.1. The term of Constituent .....................................................................................86

2.1.1. Sieyès......................................................................................................86

2.1.2. Friedrich ..................................................................................................87

3. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROCEDURES ..........................................................88

3.1. Initiative ..............................................................................................................88

3.2. Parliamentary Procedures ..................................................................................90

3.3. Referendums ......................................................................................................91

SELF-TEST QUESTIONS ............................................................................94

IN-TEXT QUESTIONS................................................................................95

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY/FURTHER READING .......................................95

CHAPTER 3: INTERPRETATION OF CONSTITUTIONS

INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................99

1. METHODS OF INTERPRETATION................................................................................100

1.1. Textualism.........................................................................................................101

1.2. Original Intent and Meaning.............................................................................102

1.3. Judicial Precedent.............................................................................................104

1.4. Pragmatism.......................................................................................................105

1.5. Moral Reasoning...............................................................................................106

1.6. Structuralism.....................................................................................................106

2. METHODS OF REASONING ........................................................................................110

2.1. Syllogism...........................................................................................................110

2.2. Argumentum a Contrario..................................................................................111

2.3. Analogy .............................................................................................................111

SELF-TEST QUESTIONS ..........................................................................114

IN-TEXT QUESTIONS..............................................................................115

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY/FURTHER READING .....................................115

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CHAPTER 4: CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 119

1. AMERICAN MODEL ................................................................................................... 122

2. EUROPEAN MODEL................................................................................................... 125

3. WAYS OF REVIEW ..................................................................................................... 128

3.1. Abstract Review of Law.................................................................................... 129

3.2. Concrete Review of Law................................................................................... 130

3.3. A Priori Review................................................................................................. 131

3.4. A Posteriori Review.......................................................................................... 131

3.5. Constitutional Complaint ................................................................................. 131

4. CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW IN FRANCE, GERMANY AND THE UK ............................... 134

4.1. France............................................................................................................... 135

4.2. Germany........................................................................................................... 135

4.3. United Kingdom ............................................................................................... 137

SELF-TEST QUESTIONS.......................................................................... 138

IN-TEXT QUESTIONS ............................................................................. 139

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY/FURTHER READING..................................... 139

CHAPTER 5: THE STATE

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 143

1. THE ELEMENTS OF THE STATE................................................................................... 144

1.1. Territory ........................................................................................................... 146

1.2. Population........................................................................................................ 153

1.3. Sovereignty ...................................................................................................... 153

1.3.1. Internal & External Sovereignty ........................................................... 155

1.3.2. Real & Nominal Sovereignty................................................................. 156

1.3.3. Legal & Political & Popular Sovereignty ............................................... 156

1.3.4. De Jure & De Facto Sovereignty ........................................................... 157

2. THE THEORIES OF THE STATE.................................................................................... 157

2.1. Voluntaristic Theories...................................................................................... 158

2.2. Social Contract Theories................................................................................... 158

2.3. Coercive Theory ............................................................................................... 159

2.4. Environmental Circumscription........................................................................ 161

2.5. Political Evolution............................................................................................. 161

SELF-TEST QUESTIONS.......................................................................... 163

IN-TEXT QUESTIONS ............................................................................. 164

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY/FURTHER READING..................................... 164

8 Table of Contents

CHAPTER 6: TYPES OF THE STATE

INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................169

1. MONARCHY AND REPUBLICS.....................................................................................169

1.1. Definition of Monarchy.....................................................................................170

1.2. Types of Monarchies.........................................................................................170

1.2.1. Absolute Monarchies............................................................................170

1.2.2. Constitutional Monarchies....................................................................171

1.2.3. Hereditary Monarchies.........................................................................172

1.2.4. Elective Monarchies..............................................................................174

1.3. Definition of Republic .......................................................................................174

1.4. Types of Republics ............................................................................................175

2. UNITARY STATES AND UNIONS OF THE STATE ...........................................................175

2.1. Unitary State.....................................................................................................176

2.2. Unions of the States..........................................................................................177

2.2.1. Personal union ......................................................................................178

2.2.2. Real union .............................................................................................178

2.2.3. Confederation .......................................................................................179

2.2.4. Federalism.............................................................................................180

SELF-TEST QUESTIONS ..........................................................................192

IN-TEXT QUESTIONS..............................................................................193

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY/FURTHER READING .....................................193

CHAPTER 7: GOVERNMENTAL SYSTEMS

INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................197

1. UNION OF POWERS ...................................................................................................198

1.1. Absolute Monarchy...........................................................................................198

1.2. Dictatorship ......................................................................................................199

1.3. Assembly Government......................................................................................200

2. SEPARATION OF POWERS..........................................................................................201

2.1. Parliamentary System.......................................................................................204

2.1.1. Features of Parliamentary System........................................................205

2.1.2. Merits of Parliamentary System............................................................207

2.1.3. Demerits of Parliamentary System .......................................................208

2.2. Presidential System...........................................................................................209

2.2.1. Features of Presidential System............................................................212

2.2.2. Merits of Presidential System ...............................................................212

2.2.3. Demerits of Presidential System...........................................................214

2.3. Semi-Presidential System .................................................................................215

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3. GOVERNMENTAL SYSTEM OF TURKEY...................................................................... 219

3.1. Features of Turkish Presidential System .......................................................... 220

3.1.1. The Role of the President..................................................................... 220

3.1.2. The Election of the President............................................................... 220

3.1.3. The Duties and Powers of the President.............................................. 221

3.1.4. The Criminal Liability of the President ................................................. 223

3.1.5. The Relationship between the President and Parliament.................... 224

SELF-TEST QUESTIONS.......................................................................... 225

IN-TEXT QUESTIONS ............................................................................. 226

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY/FURTHER READING..................................... 226

CHAPTER 8: LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 231

1. THE ROLE OF LEGISLATURE....................................................................................... 233

1.1. Legislature as Agent: Linkage, Representation and Legitimation .................... 233

1.2. Legislature as Principal: Control and Oversight ............................................... 234

1.2.1. Ways of Parliamentary Scrutiny in Turkey ........................................... 235

1.2.2. Parliamentary Checking the Work of Government in the UK .............. 241

1.2.3. Legislature as Legislator: Policy-making vs. Policy-influencing ............ 248

2. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES OF LEGISLATURE ................................................... 248

2.1. Numbers and Type of Chambers...................................................................... 249

2.2. Numbers, Quality and Consistency of Members.............................................. 251

3. LAW MAKING PROCESS ............................................................................................ 253

3.1. Law Making Process in Turkey ......................................................................... 253

3.1.1. Basic Concepts...................................................................................... 253

3.1.2. The Right to Introduce Bills: ................................................................. 254

3.1.3. Deliberations in the Committees ......................................................... 255

3.1.4. Deliberations in the Plenary................................................................. 258

3.1.5. Publication of Laws .............................................................................. 261

3.2. Law Making Process in England ....................................................................... 262

3.2.1. Basic Concepts...................................................................................... 263

3.2.2. The Right to Introduce Bills.................................................................. 265

3.2.3. Law making Process for Public Bills...................................................... 266

3.2.3.1. Pre-Legislative Scrutiny .......................................................... 266

3.2.3.2. Legislative Scrutiny................................................................. 267

3.2.3.3. Post-Legislative Scrutiny ........................................................ 270

10 Table of Contents

3.2.4. Law Making Process for Private Bills.....................................................270

SELF-TEST QUESTIONS ..........................................................................273

IN-TEXT QUESTIONS..............................................................................274

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY/FURTHER READING .....................................274

CHAPTER 9: DEMOCRACY

INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................279

1. THE CONCEPT OF DEMOCRACY .................................................................................279

2. THE CONCEPT OF DEMOCRACY .................................................................................281

3. TYPES OF DEMOCRACY..............................................................................................283

3.1. Direct Democracy .............................................................................................283

3.2. Indirect (Representative) Democracy ...............................................................285

3.3. Semi-Democracy...............................................................................................287

3.3.1. Initiative ................................................................................................288

3.3.2. Referendum ..........................................................................................292

3.3.3. Recall.....................................................................................................292

3.4. Majoritarian-Pluralist Democracy.....................................................................301

4. ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST DEMOCRACY .........................................................303

SELF-TEST QUESTIONS ..........................................................................307

IN-TEXT QUESTIONS..............................................................................308

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY/FURTHER READING .....................................308

CHAPTER 10: POLITICAL PARTIES

INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................313

1. THE CONCEPT OF POLITICAL PARTY...........................................................................313

1.1. Definition of Political Party ...............................................................................314

1.2. Functions of Political Parties.............................................................................316

1.2.1. Coordination .........................................................................................316

1.2.2. Contesting Elections..............................................................................317

1.2.3. Recruitment ..........................................................................................320

1.2.4. Representation .....................................................................................320

2. CHARACTERISTICS OF POLITICAL PARTY ....................................................................320

2.1. Ideology ............................................................................................................320

2.2. Political Manifesto ............................................................................................321

2.3. Organizational Structure...................................................................................322

2.4. Constitution (Regulation)..................................................................................325

2.5. Institutionalization............................................................................................325

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2.6. Membership..................................................................................................... 326

2.7. Finance............................................................................................................. 328

3. PARTY SYSTEMS........................................................................................................ 331

3.1. Non-Party System ............................................................................................ 333

3.2. Single Party System.......................................................................................... 333

3.3. Two-Party System ............................................................................................ 334

3.4. Dominant Party System.................................................................................... 334

3.5. Multi-Party System........................................................................................... 335

SELF-TEST QUESTIONS.......................................................................... 337

IN-TEXT QUESTIONS ............................................................................. 338

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY/FURTHER READING..................................... 338

CHAPTER 11: ELECTIONS

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 343

1. RIGHT TO SUFFRAGE................................................................................................. 346

2. PRINCIPLES OF SUFFRAGE......................................................................................... 349

2.1. From limited franchise to universal suffrage ................................................... 349

2.2. From inequality in elections to equal suffrage................................................. 351

2.3. From non-free elections to free suffrage......................................................... 351

2.4. From indirect elections to direct vote.............................................................. 352

2.5. From open voting to secret ballot in the elections.......................................... 352

3. ELECTORAL SYSTEMS ................................................................................................ 353

3.1. Majoritarian Formulas ..................................................................................... 355

3.1.1. Single-Member Plurality (SMP)-First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) ................. 355

3.1.2. Second Ballot Majority-Run-Off-System-Two Round System (2RS) ..... 358

3.1.3. Second Ballot Majority-The Alternative Vote System.......................... 359

3.2. Semi-Proportional Systems.............................................................................. 362

3.2.1. Single Transferable Vote (STV)............................................................. 362

3.2.2. Cumulative Vote................................................................................... 366

3.2.3. Limited Vote......................................................................................... 367

3.3. Proportional Representation (Party List Systems) ........................................... 367

3.3.1. Open List .............................................................................................. 368

3.3.2. Closed List ............................................................................................ 368

3.3.3. Semi-Closed List ................................................................................... 369

3.3.4. Quotas and Divisors ............................................................................. 369

3.4. Mixed Systems................................................................................................. 371

3.4.1. Mixed-Member Proportional (MMP)................................................... 371

3.4.2. Mixed-Member Majoritarian (MMM).................................................. 372

12 Table of Contents

4. ELECTION ADMINISTRATION.....................................................................................374

4.1. Election Management Bodies...........................................................................374

4.1.1. Election Management Bodies in Turkey ...............................................378

4.2. Pre-electoral Administration ............................................................................380

4.3. Voting Period ....................................................................................................380

4.4. Post-Election Period..........................................................................................380

SELF-TEST QUESTIONS ..........................................................................382

IN-TEXT QUESTIONS..............................................................................383

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY/FURTHER READING .....................................383

CHAPTER 12: HUMAN RIGHTS

INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................387

1. THE ORIGINS OF HUMAN RIGHTS ..............................................................................388

1.1. Religious Origin of Human Rights .....................................................................388

1.2. Philosophical Origins of Human Rights.............................................................391

1.3. Metaphilosophical Justifications of Human Rights...........................................400

2. CHARACTERISTICS AND CLASSIFICATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS...................................403

3. INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW .....................................................................406

3.1. United Nations..................................................................................................408

3.1.1. Universal Declaration of Human Rights ................................................409

3.1.2. Treaty-Based Human Rights Protection Mechanisms...........................410

3.1.3. Non-Treaty-Based Human Rights Protection Mechanisms...................417

3.2. Europe...............................................................................................................418

3.2.1. European Convention on Human Rights...............................................419

3.2.2. European Court of Human Rights .........................................................419

SELF-TEST QUESTIONS ..........................................................................421

IN-TEXT QUESTIONS..............................................................................422

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY/FURTHER READING .....................................422

ANNEX 1: GLOSSARY .................................................................................................. 423

ANNEX 2: A SELECTION OF WEBSITES OF CONSTITUTIONAL SIGNIFICANCE................. 431

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: List of the Rights and Liberties of Man and Citizen in the Russian

Constitution................................................................................................... 41

Table 2: List of the Fundamental Rights and Duties in the Turkish Constitution ........ 43

Table 3: Constitutional Amendment Process in the USA in accordance with

Article V......................................................................................................... 46

Table 4: List of the Amendments of US Constitution.................................................. 47

Table 5: Constitutional Amendment Process in Russia in accordance with

Article 135-7 .................................................................................................. 50

Table 6: Constitutional Amendment Process in Turkey in accordance with

Article 175 ..................................................................................................... 52

Table 7: List of the Amendments of Turkish Constitution of 1982 ............................. 53

Table 8: Aristotelian Classification of Constitutions (Regimes)................................... 60

Table 9: Constitutionalism in the World ..................................................................... 70

Table 10: Differences between Constituent and Constituted Power............................ 87

Table 11: Methods of Constitutional Interpretation................................................... 108

Table 12: List of Countries adopting American Model of Constitutional Review........ 124

Table 13: Features of American and European Model of Constitutional Review ....... 128

Table 14: Key Characteristics of Court Systems.......................................................... 133

Table 15: A normative debate: is rights review democratic?...................................... 134

Table 16: The Shifting Borders of Modern States: Not Recognized, Limited

Recognized and Majority Recognition States.............................................. 145

Table 17: The Variety of Federal Political Systems ..................................................... 183

Table 18: Federal States in the World and in the EU (Bold)........................................ 189

Table 19: Differences between Unitary and Federal States........................................ 191

Table 20: Differences between Confederation and Federal States ............................ 191

Table 21: Samples of Assembly Government.............................................................. 201

Table 22: Separate Election in the United States........................................................ 211

Table 23: The Three Major Forms of Democratic Government: Main Features......... 218

Table 24: Controversies among Presidential, Parliamentary and Semi-

Presidential Governments........................................................................... 219

Table 25: Definition of Legislature, Parliament, Assembly and Congress................... 231

14 List of Tables

Table 26: Parliament and Congress Type Legislatures................................................ 232

Table 27: Representation and Role/Asymmetry of Upper Chamber.......................... 250

Table 28: Population and Size of Lower Chambers..................................................... 252

Table 29: Huntington’s Three Waves of Democratization.......................................... 282

Table 30: Advantages and Disadvantages of Direct Democracy................................. 285

Table 31: Advantages and Disadvantages of Indirect Democracy .............................. 287

Table 32: Countries which have provision for initiative procedures at the

national level, region................................................................................... 291

Table 33: Examples of Semi-Direct Democracy Devices............................................. 297

Table 34: Majoritarian and Consensus Models of Democracy ................................... 303

Table 35: Freedom House Checklist for Political Rights and Civil Liberties................. 304

Table 36: Definitions of Party ..................................................................................... 314

Table 37: Ideologies at Glance..................................................................................... 321

Table 38: Establishment Dates and Numbers of Members of Political Parties in

Turkey as of 04.02.2020............................................................................... 327

Table 39: Public funding of political parties................................................................ 330

Table 40: Models of Political Parties........................................................................... 332

Table 41: Turnout in the European Union by country and year, in percentage

points .......................................................................................................... 344

Table 42: Voter Turnout in Recent Elections in Turkey .............................................. 345

Table 43: Determinants of election turnout............................................................... 345

Table 44: Should voting be compulsory?.................................................................... 348

Table 45: Voting Rights for Men and Women............................................................. 350

Table 46: Simulation for the allocation of eight seats, with three parties.................. 371

Table 47: Electoral Systems: Legislatures................................................................... 373

Table 48: Characteristics of the Three Broad Models of Electoral Management

and their Component EMBs........................................................................ 377

Table 49: Human Rights Advocates in Major Religions............................................... 390

Table 50: Secular Human Rights Advocates................................................................ 399

Table 51: Human Rights Justifications ........................................................................ 403

Table 52: Regional Human Rights Protection Mechanisms........................................ 419