Provisions on the Initiative to Amend the Constitution

...a) Parliamentary Initiative (different thresholds for introducing constitutional amendments in parliament)

[e.g. Albania, Art. 177]

(1) Initiative for revision of the Constitution may be undertaken by not less than one-fifth of the members of the Assembly.

 

[e.g. Cameroon, Art. 63]

(1) Amendments to the Constitution may be proposed either by the President of the Republic or by Parliament.

(2) Any proposed amendment made by a member of Parliament shall be signed by at least one-third of the members of either House.

 

[e.g. Costa Rica, Art. 195, Art 196]

(Art. 195) The Legislative Assembly may partially amend this Constitution by adhering strictly to the following provisions:

(1) A proposal in which the amendment of one or more articles is sought must be presented to the Assembly at regular sessions, signed by at least ten deputies* [*out of 57];

(Art. 196) The general amendment of this Constitution can be effected only by a constituent assembly called for the purpose. A law calling such an assembly must be approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the total membership of the Legislative Assembly and does not require the approval of the executive power.

 

[e.g. East Timor, Art. 154]

(1) The initiative for constitutional revision is incumbent upon the Members of Parliament and the Parliamentary Groups.

 

[e.g. Japan, Art 96]

Amendments to this Constitution shall be initiated by the Diet, through a concurring vote of two-thirds or more of all the members of each House and shall thereupon be submitted to the people for ratification […].

 

[e.g. Philippines, Art. XVII, Sec. 1]

Any amendment to, or revision of, this Constitution may be proposed by:

(1) The Congress, upon a vote of three-fourths of all its Members; […]

[e.g. Germany, Art. 76]

(1) Bills may be introduced in the Bundestag [first chamber] by the Federal Government, by the Bundesrat [second chamber], or from the floor* of the Bundestag. [*“from the floor” means either 5% of the members of the Bundestag or from a political party sitting in the Bundestag]

 

 b) Additional Initiators

[e.g. Russia, Art. 134]

Proposals on amendments to and revision of the provisions of the Constitution of the Russian Federation may be submitted by the President of the Russian Federation, the Federation Council, the State Duma, the Government of the Russian Federation, legislative (representative) bodies of subjects of the Russian Federation, and by groups consisting of not less than one fifth of the members of the Federation Council or of the deputies of the State Duma.

 

[e.g. Burkina Faso, Art. 161]

The right to initiate an amendment of the Constitution shall be exercised by:

— the President of Faso;

— the majority of the members of the National Assembly;

— the people when a group of at least thirty thousand (30,000) persons who have the right to vote introduces before the National Assembly a petition containing a drawn-up and signed proposal.

 

 [e.g. Cambodia, Art. 151]

(1) The initiative to review or to amend the Constitution shall be the prerogative of the King, the Prime Minister, the Chairman of the National Assembly at the suggestion of 1/4 of all the assembly members.

 

[e.g. Panama, Art. 313]

The initiative to propose constitutional amendments belongs to the National Assembly, the Cabinet Council and the Supreme Court of Justice. Such amendments must be approved by one of the following procedures: […]

 

[e.g. Guatemala, Art. 227]

(1) The following have the initiative to propose amendments to the Constitution: a. The President of the Republic in the Council of Ministers; b. Ten or more deputies to the Congress of the Republic; c. The Court of Constitutionality; and d. The people through a petition addressed to the Congress of the Republic by no fewer than 5,000 citizens duly listed in the Register of Citizens.

(2) In any of the cases above, the Congress of the Republic must address without delay whatsoever the issue raised.

 

[e.g. Brazil, Art. 60]

Constitutional amendments may be proposed by: (a) at least one-third of the members of the Chamber of Deputies or the Federal Senate; (b) the President of the Republic; (c) more than one-half of the Legislative Assemblies of units of the Federation, each manifesting its decision by a simple majority of its members.