The Context for Policy-Making: Central Institutions and Actors - National institutions: defining the rules of the political game

3 important questions on The Context for Policy-Making: Central Institutions and Actors - National institutions: defining the rules of the political game

What is the difference between polities with a rigid constitution and polities with a flexible constitution?

Flexible: constitution can be changed by regular majorities (New Zealand, UK).
Rigid: changes have to be approved by super-majorities (to make sure that it doesn't get modified in the interest of particular governments).

What are the three different kinds of review to protect a constitution?

- Abstract review: to check that the legislative bill is compatible with the constitution (before coming into force).
- Concrete review: Initiated by ordinary judges, sending a constitutional question to the constitutional court (are there any doubts about the constitutionality of the legal act in question).
- Constitutional complaint: activated by individuals who can prove that their constitutional rights have been violated.

What are the two basic types of electoral systems?

- Majoritarian systems: The strongest party in each constituency wins the seat and only one candidate can be chosen and gets the seat.
(Modification: France, the two-round system: if no candidate wins the majority of votes, the two top-ranked candidates participate in a second round).

- Systems of proportional representation: seats are shared amongst parties in proportion to the share of votes they have received.

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