Constitution of the Czech Republic
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The current Constitution of the Czech Republic was adopted on December 16, 1992, and has been amended four times. It replaced the constitution of Czechoslovakia (1960 Constitution of Czechoslovakia), which split into Slovakia and the Czech Republic by act of parliament on January 1, 1993, through the so-called velvet divorce.
It recalls the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms and establishes the republic as a democratic, law-abiding state, deriving its sovereignty from the people (Articles 1-14).
It vests legislative power in the Czech Parliament consisting of two chambers, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. (Articles 15-53).
It provides for the election of the President by the Parliament. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President of the Republic who shall appoint on the Prime Minister's proposal the other members of the Government, Deputy Prime Ministers and Ministers. The Government is accountable to the Chamber of Deputies. (Articles 77 -80).
The Constitution establishes the Constitutional Court and Independent Judiciary (Articles 81-95). Judges are appointed for life by the President of the Republic.
The Constitution establishes The Supreme Control Office and the Czech National Bank, and divides the territory of the republic into self-governing territorial districts, and regions.
It states that the Czech republic shall observe its obligations under international law. It makes no specific reference to the European Union but states that an international agreement may provide for a transfer of certain powers of bodies of the Czech Republic to an international organization or institution. An approval of the Parliament is required to ratify an international agreement unless a constitutional law requires an approval from a referendum.
The Constitution may be supplemented or amended only by a constitutional act.
See also
Czechoslovakia - Constitutional development
External links
- Constitution of the Czech Republic (http://www.psp.cz/cgi-bin/eng/docs/laws/constitution.html) - English Text
- Ústava České republiky (http://www.psp.cz/docs/laws/constitution.html) - Czech Text
- Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms (http://www.psp.cz/cgi-bin/eng/docs/laws/charter.html) - English Text
- Listina základních práv a svobod (http://www.psp.cz/docs/laws/listina.html) - Czech text