Constitution without Constitutionalism? Challenges to constitutionalism in the Kyrgyz Republic
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31078/consrev524Keywords:
Constitutional Court, Constitutional Review, Constitutionalism, Kyrgyzstan, Separation of PowersAbstract
Application of basic principles revolving around the constitutionalism into third wave democracies, produced such phenomenon as constitutions “without constitutionalism”. This paper will revisit and discuss this issue in the context of the Kyrgyz Republic. Main argument and thesis of the paper is following: Where a viable balance of power exists, a constitutional court acquires importance as a key element of that order, thus promoting the constitutionalism. If no such balance exists, the constitutional court will soon become a tool of the more dominant powers and thus lose its relevance for a genuine constitutional order. The abovementioned thesis will be demonstrated by the example of the work of Constitutional Court of the Kyrgyz Republic. Mainly it first aims at providing a proper foundation and basic understanding of constitutionalism, further revisiting this concept in the context of Former Soviet Union and finally will discuss the development of constitutionalism in Kyrgyzstan along with challenges faced by the court.References
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Schwartz, Herman. The Struggle for Constitutional Justice in Post Communist Europe. London: The University of Chicago Press, 2000.
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Trochev, Alexei. Judging Russia: The Role of the Constitutional Court in Russian Politics 1990–2006. Cambridge University Press, 2008.
Yeh, Jiunn-rong. Asian Courts in Context. Cambridge University Press, 2014.
Zakon Kyrgyzskoi Respubliki o naznachenii referenduma po proektu po proektu zakona Kyrgyzskoi Respubliki ot 2 noyabrya 2016 goda [Law of the Kyrgyz Republic on calling the referendum on introduced amendments to the Constitution of the KR] November 2, 2016.
Zakluchenie Konstitucionnogo Suda KR po proektu zakona o vnisenii izmeneniy v Konstitisiu Kyrgyzskoi Respubliki vnesennogo Prezidentom KR na rassmotrenie JK [The Conclusion of the Constitutional Court of the KR on the draft law on introducing amendments to the constitution proposed by the President for a review of the Supreme Council of the KR] Jan. 21, 2010.
Chen, Albert H. Y. Constitutionalism in Asia in the Early Twenty-First Century. Cambridge University Press, 2014.
Dekret Vremennego Pravitel`stva Kyrgyzskoi Respubliki [The Decree of the Interim Government of the Kyrgyz Republic] Apr.7, 2007, No. 1.
Dixon, Rosalind and Tim Ginsburg, Comparative Constitutional Law in Asia. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2014.
Douglas Greenberg Vice President et al., Constitutionalism and Democracy : Transitions in the Contemporary World: Transitions in the Contemporary World. USA: Oxford University Press, 1993.
Ely, John Hart. Democracy and Distrust: A Theory of Judicial Review. Harvard University Press, 1980.
Ginsburg, Tom and Rosalind Dixon. Comparative Constitutional Law. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2011.
Ginsburg, Tom. Judicial Review in New Democracies: Constitutional Courts in Asian Cases. Cambridge University Press, 2003.
Harding, Andrew and Penelope Nicholson. New Courts in Asia. Routledge, 2010.
Henkin, Louis. "A New Birth of Constitutionalism: Genetic Influence and Genetic Defects." Cardozo Law Review 533 (1992).
Hirschl, Ran. Towards Juristocracy: The Origins and Consequences of the New Constitutionalism. Harvard University Press, 2004.
Hirschl, Ran. Comparative Matters: The Renaissance of Comparative Constitutional Law. OUP Oxford, 2014.
Jackson, Vicki C. "Comparative Constitutional Law: Methodologies." In Oxford Handbook of Comparative Constitutional Law, edited by Michel Rosenfeld and Andras Sajo. Oxford University Press, 2012.
Kapiszewski, Diana, Gordon Silverstein, and Robert A. Kagan. Consequential Courts: Judicial Roles in Global Perspective. Cambridge University Press, 2013.
Kelsen, Hans. Pure Theory of Law. The Law Book Exchange, 2005.
Konstitucionnuj zakon Kyrgyzskoj Respubliki o Konstitucionnoj palate Verhovnogo suda Kyrgyzskoj Respubliki [Constitutional Law on the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic] June 13, 2011, no. 37.
Konstitucionnuj zakon Kyrgyzskoj Respubliki o statuse sudej Kyrgyzskoj Respubliki [Constitutional Law on the Status of Judges in the Kyrgyz Republic] July 9, 2008, no. 141.
Landau, David. "Abusive Constitutionalism." UCDL Rev 47 (2013). Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. 137 (1803).
Mazmanyan, Armen. "Failing Constitutionalism: From Political Legalism to Defective Empowerment." Global Constitutionalism 1, no. 02 (July 2012).
Nino, Carlos Santiago. "The Constitution of deliberative democracy." In Chapter VII: Judicial Review in a Deliberative Democracy. Yale University Press, 1996.
Nurumov, D. and V. Vashcankha. "Constitutional Development of Independent Kazakhstan." In Semi-Presidentialism in the Caucasus and Central Asia, edited by R. Elgie, S. Moestrup, 2016.
Okoth-Ogendo, H. W. O. "Constitutions without Constitutionalism: An African Political Paradox." In Constitutionalism and Democracy: Transitions in the Contemporary World, edited by Douglas Greenberg, S. N. Kartz, B. Oliviero and S. C. Wheatley, 1993.
Osiatynski, Wiktor. "Paradoxes of Constitutional Borrowings." International Journal of Constitutional law (2003).
Perju, Vlad. "Constitutional Transplants, Borrowing and Migrations." In Oxford Handbook of comparative constitutional law, edited by Michel Rosenfeld and Andras Sajo. Oxford University Press, 2012.
Prochazka, Radoslav. Mission Accomplished on Founding Constitutional Adjudication in Central Europe. Budapest: Central European University Press, 2002.
Reshenie Konstitucionnoi Palaty Verhovnogo Suda Kyrgyzskoi Respubliki po delu o proverke konstitucionnosti zakona o biometricheskoi registraciigrazhdan Kyrgyzskoi Respubliki [Decision of the Constitutional Chamber ofthe Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic on constitutionality of the law on biometric registration of the citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic] September 14, 2015 no. 11-р.
Reshenie Konstitusionnoi Palaty Verhovnogo Suda Kyrgyzskoi Respubliki po delu o proverke konstitusionnosti stat`I 34 UKRKR [The Decision of the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of the KR on case involving the constitutionality of article 34 of the CPCRK] Jan.13, 2014.
Reshenie Konstitusionnogo Suda Kyrgyzskoi Respubliki ot 2008 goda [The Decision of the Constitutional Court of the Kyrgyz Republic], 2008.
Reshenie Konstitusionnogo Suda Kyrgyzskoi Respubliki ot 13 iulya 1998 goda [The Decision of the Constitutional Court of the Kyrgyz Republic of Jul. 13, 1998], Jul. 13, 1998.
Reshenie Konstitusionnogo Suda Kyrgyzskoi Respubliki ot 14 sentyabrya 2007
goda [The Decision of the Constitutional Court of the Kyrgyz Republic] Sep. 14, 2007.
Rosenfeld, Michel. Constitutionalism, Identity, Difference and Legitimacy: Theoretical Perspective. Duke University Press, 1994.
Rosenfeld, Michel and András Sajó. The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Constitutional Law. OUP Oxford, 2012.
Rosenfeld, Michel. "The Rule of law and the legitimacy of constitutional democracy." A paper in Public Law Research Paper, Cordozo Law School, 2001.
Sadurski, Wojciech. Rights Before Courts: A Study of Constitutional Courts in Postcommunist States of Central and Eastern Europe. Springer Science & Business Media, 2005.
Sadurski, Wojciech. Constitutional Justice, East and West: Democratic Legitimacy and Constitutional Courts in Post-Communist Europe in a Comparative Perspective. Springer Science & Business Media, 2002.
Sajo, Andras. Limiting Government: An Introduction to Constitutionalism. Budapest: Central European University Press, 1999.
Sartori, Giovanni. "Constitutionalism: A Preliminary Discussion." American Political Science Review 56, no.4 (1962).
Scheppele, Kim Lane. "A Comparative View of the Chief Justices` Role. Guardians of the Constitution: Constitutional Court Presidents and the Struggle for the Rule of Law in Post-Soviet Europe." University of Pennsylvania Law Review 154, no. 6 (2006).
Schwartz, Herman. The Struggle for Constitutional Justice in Post Communist Europe. London: The University of Chicago Press, 2000.
Shapiro, Martin. "Courts in Authoritarian Regimes." In Rule by Law: The Politics of Courts in Authoritarian Regimes, edited by Tom Ginsburg and Tamir Moustafa. Cambridge University Press, 2008.
Sunstein, Cass R. "Constitutionalism after the New Deal." Harvard Law review 101, no. 2 (December 1987).
Tushnet, Mark, Thomas Fleiner, and Cheryl Saunders. Routledge Handbook of Constitutional Law. Routledge, 2013.
Trochev, Alexei. Judging Russia: The Role of the Constitutional Court in Russian Politics 1990–2006. Cambridge University Press, 2008.
Yeh, Jiunn-rong. Asian Courts in Context. Cambridge University Press, 2014.
Zakon Kyrgyzskoi Respubliki o naznachenii referenduma po proektu po proektu zakona Kyrgyzskoi Respubliki ot 2 noyabrya 2016 goda [Law of the Kyrgyz Republic on calling the referendum on introduced amendments to the Constitution of the KR] November 2, 2016.
Zakluchenie Konstitucionnogo Suda KR po proektu zakona o vnisenii izmeneniy v Konstitisiu Kyrgyzskoi Respubliki vnesennogo Prezidentom KR na rassmotrenie JK [The Conclusion of the Constitutional Court of the KR on the draft law on introducing amendments to the constitution proposed by the President for a review of the Supreme Council of the KR] Jan. 21, 2010.
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Published
2019-11-18
How to Cite
Toktogazieva, S. (2019). Constitution without Constitutionalism? Challenges to constitutionalism in the Kyrgyz Republic. Constitutional Review, 5(2), 275–293. https://doi.org/10.31078/consrev524
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