ConstitutionNet

The Impact of Guiding Principles on Constitution Making

📜 From South Africa’s democratic transition to today’s fragile contexts, guiding principles have helped build trust and foster inclusive dialogue.

But when imposed from the top, they risk undermining trust in constitution-making processes: buff.ly/qBxquXh

Constitutional Amendments in Lao PDR: Strengthening Local Governance, Bolstering the Economy, and Combatting Corruption In June 2024, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic launched its first constitutional amendment process since 2015, culminating in the adoption of wide-ranging amendments by the National Assembly in Ma

📝 Missed our last analysis? Laos recently adopted amendments to 62 constitutional articles and five new provisions. Kazuo Fukuda explores the fast-tracked amendment process, changes to local governance, economic policy, and anti-corruption bodies, and early implementation challenges: buff.ly/TZjzpzE

Primers | ConstitutionNet These constitution-building primers are intended to assist in-country constitution-building or constitutional reform processes by: (i) helping citizens, political parties, civil society…

🧠 Building a constitution? Start with the basics.

Our Primers offer practical, easy-to-read guides for everyone. Tailored to real-world choices, grounded in global experience:

Thailand’s 2026 Constitutional Referendum: A Step Towards Reform or a Symbolic Victory? In February 2026, a decisive majority of Thai voters endorsed the drafting of a new constitution, marking an unprecedented popular challenge to the military-era 2017 Constitution. This article explore

🗳️ On Sunday, over 30 million Thais voted on a new constitution. 65% said yes. After years of military-backed rule and a rigged 2017 constitution, this is a bold assertion of popular will—but will it survive politics and the courts? Read more in our new piece: buff.ly/RjSYo0w

Constitution Building January 2026 Newsletter View this email in your browser

💌 Missed our latest constitution building newsletter?

✍️ Expert analyses on Venezuela, Nepal and Ghana
🌍 Global constitutional news you may have missed
📢 Applications for Constitution Building in Africa Summer Course

🔗 Read more: buff.ly/sugt6BK
👉 Subscribe: bit.ly/3IguwEy

📝 Nicaragua ratified a constitutional amendment eliminating dual citizenship, only months after the country’s new Constitution entered into force.

💬 Our article examines how this move fits within a broader project of constitutional manipulation and transnational repression: buff.ly/GWxp8n8

Implementing Federalism

What does it take to move from a centralized system to federalism or devolution? 🏛️

Our brief explains the challenges and options for organizing government power across multiple levels to improve accountability and responsiveness:

💡Stay updated on constitutional news from around the world: constitutionnet.org/news

👉 Myanmar – Military government created body to maintain control.

👉 Norway – Parliament rejected constitutional amendment switching from monarchy to republic.

👉 Greece – Prime Minister calls for a constitutional revision.

👉 Armenia – Draft constitution will be completed by March.

👉 Algeria – Presidency announced constitutional amendments.

👇🧵 5 constitutional developments you may have missed this week from ConstitutionNet: constitutionnet.org/news

Constitution Assessment for Women's Equality

Want to build a constitution that truly protects women’s rights? 🤝⚖️

Our Constitution Assessment for Women’s Equality tool helps you assess constitutions through a gender equality lens and analyse the most critical issues affecting women’s rights: buff.ly/jtq98rC

Constitutional Amendments in Lao PDR: Strengthening Local Governance, Bolstering the Economy, and Combatting Corruption In June 2024, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic launched its first constitutional amendment process since 2015, culminating in the adoption of wide-ranging amendments by the National Assembly in Ma

Laos has undertaken its most far-reaching constitutional revision in a decade, introducing 62 amendments and five new provisions.

Kazuo Fukuda explores the fast-tracked process, changes to local governance, economic policy, and anti-corruption bodies, and implementation challenges: buff.ly/TZjzpzE

Social and Economic Rights

📜How can constitutions protect your rights to education, healthcare, housing, and fair work?

Our primer breaks down why these rights matter and how they can be included in constitutions: buff.ly/2v59sXw

🪪 Nicaragua amended its new Constitution to eliminate dual citizenship.

Our piece explains why this is not a technical reform, but a tool of transnational repression aimed at severing exiles’ ties to their country, and consolidating dynastic rule : constitutionnet.org/news/voices/...

🗞️ In our January constitution building newsletter:

✍️ Expert analyses on Venezuela, Nepal and Ghana
🌍 Global constitutional news you may have missed
📢 Applications for Constitution Building in Africa Summer Course

🔗 Read more: buff.ly/sugt6BK
👉 Subscribe: bit.ly/3IguwEy

Protecting Ethnic Minorities within Minorities

How do constitutions protect minorities within minorities?

Our brief explores the challenge of ethnic minorities within minorities in federal systems:

Venezuela: Is a democratic transition possible? On 3 January 2026, U.S. special forces captured and extracted Nicolás Maduro, abruptly ending the rule of a leader who had governed Venezuela since 2013 through authoritarian means and fraudulent elec

🧭 On 3 January, U.S. special forces captured and extracted Nicolás Maduro, abruptly ending the rule of an authoritarian leader who had governed Venezuela since 2013.

❓️The operation has reopened a question: is a democratic transition possible in Venezuela?

📝 Read more: buff.ly/wjblz2t

Shaping the Post-Conflict Landscape? The Role of Constitutions in Natural Resource Governance

How do constitutions shape natural resource governance in post-conflict settings? 🌿

Our paper explores why natural resource governance is often missing from political settlements and what can help increase levels of financial accountability:

How can constitutions be more inclusive? Our primers explore how they can reflect plural identities, interests, and priorities:

🧩Religion–State Relations: buff.ly/qSZFyOa
🧩Official Language Designation: buff.ly/D6nAZ1h
🧩Federalism: buff.ly/hkSWpoO

Nepal’s Gen Z Movement and Constitutional Crisis In September 2025, Nepal’s youth-led “Gen Z movement” erupted in response to a nationwide social media ban, escalating into violent clashes that toppled the government. Bipin Adhikari examines how the

Nepal’s Gen Z movement didn’t just protest a social media ban, it helped overthrow a government.

Our latest analysis unpacks how youth-led unrest exposed cracks in Nepal’s constitution, led to an unprecedented interim PM, and sparked a push for reform.

Read the full analysis 👇
buff.ly/OxCVF8D

Database on Constitution-Building Processes in Fragile Settings The Database on Constitution-Building Processes in Fragile Settings is a continuously updated online database on constitution-building processes in fragile and conflict-affected settings. The fully se

🕊️ How are constitutions made in fragile and conflict-affected settings?

Explore our Database, a searchable resource tracking constitution-building processes across more than 200 data points in eight different stages:

💡 Stay updated on constitutional news from around the world: constitutionnet.org/news

👉 France – Prime Minister invokes Constitution to push budget through parliament.

👉 Fiji – Political party raises concerns over draft referendum bill.

👉 Mexico – Proposed constitutional amendment would restrict child labor.

👉 Kazakhstan – Parliamentary reform could lead to a new Constitution.