Supremacy of the Constitution Cornerstone of Democratic Governance
Abstract views: 10
/ 
PDF downloads: 0
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59022/ijlp.513Keywords:
Constitutional Supremacy, Rule of Law, Democratic Governance, Separation of Powers, Judicial Review, Fundamental Rights, Accountability and TransparencyAbstract
The supremacy of the Constitution stands as the cornerstone of democratic governance, ensuring that all institutions, authorities, and citizens operate within a framework of established laws and principles. It affirms that the Constitution is the highest legal authority, binding the legislature, executive, and judiciary, and safeguarding fundamental rights and freedoms. In a democratic system, constitutional supremacy prevents the abuse of power, promotes accountability, and upholds the rule of law. It provides mechanisms for checks and balances, judicial review, and the protection of minority rights against majoritarian excesses. By clearly defining the structure, powers, and limits of government, the Constitution fosters political stability and public confidence in state institutions. Moreover, it serves as a guiding document reflecting the collective will and aspirations of the people. Therefore, constitutional supremacy is essential for maintaining justice, equality, and democratic integrity in any modern state.
References
Aldrou, K. A. R., Almomani, S., Al-Naimat, O., & AL-Qudah, Y. (2025). The role of constitutional law in shaping government structures and stability in the Middle East. Central European Journal of Public Policy, 19(2). https://doi.org/10.2478/cejpp-2025-0005 Baig, G. (2025, November). The role of judiciary in ensuring rule of law in Pakistan. International Journal of Law and Policy, 3(11), 36–54. https://doi.org/10.59022/ijlp.391 Baquero Cruz, J. (2008). The legacy of the Maastricht-Urteil and the pluralist movement. European Law Journal, 14(3), 389–418. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0386.2008.00427.x (if DOI is available, otherwise omit DOI) Dzacka, A. N. Y. (2025, March). The constitution as the supreme legal framework: Its role in governance and citizen empowerment. Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration. Feld, A. L. (1986). Separation of political powers: Boundaries or balance. 21 Georgia Law Review, 171. https://scholarship.law.bu.edu/faculty_scholarship/2944 Horsley, T. (2022). Constitutional functions and institutional responsibility: A functional analysis of the UK constitution. Legal Studies, 42(1), 99–119. https://doi.org/10.1017/lst.2021.32 Huhn, W. R. (2010). Constantly approximating popular sovereignty: Seven fundamental principles of constitutional law. William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal, 19(2), 291–[page range if available]. https://scholarship.law.wm.edu/wmborj/vol19/iss2/2 Khalid, I. (2012). Role of judiciary in the evolvement of democracy in Pakistan. Journal of Political Studies, 19(2), 125–142. Koeswayo, P. S., Handoyo, S., & Hasyir, D. A. (2024). Investigating the relationship between public governance and the corruption perception index. Cogent Social Sciences, 10(1), 2342513. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2024.2342513 Limbach, J. (2001). The concept of the supremacy of the constitution. The Modern Law Review, 64(1), 1–10. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1097135 Negri, N. J. (2025). The constitution as a political program and legal system: An integral analysis in service of the common good of individuals. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.1011807 Perito, R. (2003, April). Establishing rule of law in Iraq (Special Report No. 104). U.S. Institute of Peace. https://www.usip.org (if available online, otherwise omit URL) Reayat, N. (2025). Compliance with Supreme Court judgments in politically important cases by authoritarian and hybrid regimes: Lessons from Pakistan. Asian Journal of Law and Society, 1–40. https://doi.org/10.1017/als.2025.10007 Romeo, G. (2020). The conceptualization of constitutional supremacy: Global discourse and legal tradition. German Law Journal, 21(5), 904–923. https://doi.org/10.1017/glj.2020.50 Schuetze, R., & Virzo, R. (2023). The authoritarianization of the democratic state: The internal crisis of democracy and the spread of authoritarianism [Unpublished master's thesis, Università]. Corso di laurea magistrale a ciclo unico in Giurisprudenza, Cattedra Public Comparative Law.
International Journal of Law and Policy Volume 4, Issue 2 | February 2026
ISSN: 3005-2289 56
Stacey, R. (2011). Constituent power and Carl Schmitt’s theory of constitution in Kenya’s constitution-making process. International Journal of Constitutional Law, 9(3–4), 587–614. https://doi.org/10.1093/icon/mor050 Webber, J. (2024). A democracy-friendly theory of the rule of law. Hague Journal on the Rule of Law, 16(2), 339– 374. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40803-024-00240-5 Zehra, M., Akhtar, D. N., Shaheen, M. B., & Ali, S. (2025). The role of the judiciary in constitutional interpretation in Pakistan. Inverge Journal of Social Sciences, 4(3), 20–35. https://doi.org/10.63544/ijss.v4i3.140 DOI: https://doi.org/10.63544/ijss.v4i3.140
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Umar Farooq
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
