The Concept of Constitutional Crisis (Comparative Study)

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Associate Professor, Department of Public Law, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran

10.22034/law.2025.69163.3538

Abstract

In constitutional theory, various concepts and doctrines about the constitution have been developed. One of these concepts is the constitutional crisis. In every country possessing a constitutional legal system, there may arise particular political or legal circumstances in which the constitutional system becomes incapable of providing an adequate response or solution. This article, employing a descriptive–analytical method and relying on a comparative study, seeks to address the question of what the notion of a constitutional crisis means and how such a crisis can be identified. In a constitutional crisis, the principles embodied in the constitution and the broader legal system of the state fail to resolve a serious conflict or dysfunction within the operation of government. Constitutional crises can take various forms and typologies, which are examined in this study. The concept of a constitutional crisis bears a close relation to other notions such as constitutional erosion, constitutional rot, and the state of emergency, all of which are discussed comparatively in this article. Given the diversity of political and legal systems across the world, the manifestations of constitutional crises differ from one system to another. Therefore, this paper also explores several examples of such crises in various constitutional regimes

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References

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Jurisprudence and Islamic Law
Volume 16, Issue 41
December 2025
Pages 243-280

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