The legislative constitutional process in Ukraine as an important component of the subject of knowledge of the theory of constitutionalism

Valentyna Boniak, Tatyana Tren’

Boniak V., Tren’ T. (2022), The legislative constitutional process in Ukraine as an important component of the subject of knowledge of the theory of constitutionalism, Scientific Bulletin of Dnipropetrovsk State University of Internal Affairs, №4, 35-41

DOI: 10.31733/2078-3566-2022-4-35-41

 

ABSTRACT. Based on the analysis of doctrinal sources, the legislative constitutional process has been considered as an element of the subject of knowledge of the theory of constitutionalism. Two groups of studies of this phenomenon have been distinguished.

Using the example of amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine, the stages of the legislative constitutional process have been highlighted, focusing on its two types: current and prospective. The essential features of the constitutional regulation of the procedure for introducing amendments to the Basic Law of the Ukrainian State have been clarified and, on this basis, suggestions have been made regarding the improvement of the legislative constitutional process as an important component of the subject of knowledge of the theory of constitutionalism.

The authors have found that in our country such a process is reduced exclusively to the introduction of amendments and additions to the Constitution of Ukraine. It is noted that the legislative constitutional process should include not only the introduction of amendments to the Basic Law, but also the adoption of its new version or a new Constitution in general. The emphasis has been placed on the initiators of making such changes, the forms of citizen participation in the process of making changes to the Constitution of Ukraine, and the entities that have the right to make decisions on making changes to the Basic Law, which are the people and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. It is noted that the constitutionality of such changes is monitored by the Constitutional Court of Ukraine.

The attention has been paid to the provisions of Art. 157 of the Constitution, which makes it impossible to make changes to the Basic Law in conditions of martial law or a state of emergency, as well as constitutional and legal prescriptions that prohibit its introduction, if such changes provide for the cancellation/restriction of the rights and freedoms of a person and citizen or the elimination of independence/violation of the territorial integrity of Ukraine. The authors have summarized that in view of the constitutionally established parliamentary-presidential form of government, the center of initiatives to amend the Basic Law should be shifted from the President of Ukraine to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine; it is necessary to involve subjects of civil society in constitutional modernization; to develop the concept of constitutional reform in Ukraine.

Keywords: constitutionalism, constitution, legislative constitutional process, constitutional modernization, amendments to the constitution.

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