Reformas constitucionales inconstitucionales: una perspectiva normativista

Can elements of the «Constitution» be unconstitutional and what would be the legal consequences? Several courts have considered such hypotheses but few of them have nullified provisions pertaining to the formal constitution. Scholarly debates remain highly controversial and convincing explanat...

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Main Author: Pfersmann, Otto
Format: Article
Language:Spanish
Published: Centro de Estudios Políticos y Constitucionales 2013
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Online Access:http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/oaiart?codigo=4560794
Source:Revista española de derecho constitucional, ISSN 0211-5743, Año nº 33, Nº 99, 2013, pags. 17-60
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Revista española de derecho constitucional, ISSN 0211-5743, Año nº 33, Nº 99, 2013, pags. 17-60
language
Spanish
topic
Reforma de la Constitución
normas constitucionales inconstitucionales
sistema normativo
supremacía de la Constitución
nulidad
interpretación constitucional
Constitutional reform
unconstitutional constitutional rules
regulatory system
supremacy of the constitution
nullity
Constitutional interpretation
spellingShingle
Reforma de la Constitución
normas constitucionales inconstitucionales
sistema normativo
supremacía de la Constitución
nulidad
interpretación constitucional
Constitutional reform
unconstitutional constitutional rules
regulatory system
supremacy of the constitution
nullity
Constitutional interpretation
Pfersmann, Otto
Reformas constitucionales inconstitucionales: una perspectiva normativista
description
Can elements of the «Constitution» be unconstitutional and what would be the legal consequences? Several courts have considered such hypotheses but few of them have nullified provisions pertaining to the formal constitution. Scholarly debates remain highly controversial and convincing explanations for one or another solution seem to be wanting. This paper addresses the puzzle from both the point of view of legal theory and at the level of comparative constitutional law in the perspective of analytic normativism. It makes the claim that this approach allows to better analyse the underlying question as a problem of complex hierarchies, which can provide solutions to cases in legal orders as different as Austria, France, Germany or Israel. Traditionally, the constitution is seen as one bloc on top of the legal system. But what this means remains often mysterious or unclear. If there could be something above this highest element, it could be considered from a moral perspective or in line with legal realism, a mere question of case-law. According to the conception set forth here, whether different levels of legal norms exist and what normative relations apply between them, is a question of positive law. Hence there may be several layers above what is usually considered primary legislation, if there are several legal forms, differentiated by their mode of production. The truly difficult problem, then, is to find out whether these difference are related to organized derogatory superiority, such that lower deficient norms can be nullified. Such structures appear more and more frequently in contemporary law. To better grasp this, we use the concept of non-equivalent polymorphism. The problem of whether courts are competent to annul lower level constitutional provisions is presently not explicitly settled in formal constitutions. It can �and should� nonetheless be solved through means of constitutional interpretation
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Article
author
Pfersmann, Otto
author_facet
Pfersmann, Otto
author_sort
Pfersmann, Otto
title
Reformas constitucionales inconstitucionales: una perspectiva normativista
title_short
Reformas constitucionales inconstitucionales: una perspectiva normativista
title_full
Reformas constitucionales inconstitucionales: una perspectiva normativista
title_fullStr
Reformas constitucionales inconstitucionales: una perspectiva normativista
title_full_unstemmed
Reformas constitucionales inconstitucionales: una perspectiva normativista
title_sort
reformas constitucionales inconstitucionales: una perspectiva normativista
publisher
Centro de Estudios Políticos y Constitucionales
publishDate
2013
url
http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/oaiart?codigo=4560794
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dialnet-ar-18-ART00007521502016-04-13Reformas constitucionales inconstitucionales: una perspectiva normativistaPfersmann, OttoReforma de la Constituciónnormas constitucionales inconstitucionalessistema normativosupremacía de la Constituciónnulidadinterpretación constitucionalConstitutional reformunconstitutional constitutional rulesregulatory systemsupremacy of the constitutionnullityConstitutional interpretationCan elements of the «Constitution» be unconstitutional and what would be the legal consequences? Several courts have considered such hypotheses but few of them have nullified provisions pertaining to the formal constitution. Scholarly debates remain highly controversial and convincing explanations for one or another solution seem to be wanting. This paper addresses the puzzle from both the point of view of legal theory and at the level of comparative constitutional law in the perspective of analytic normativism. It makes the claim that this approach allows to better analyse the underlying question as a problem of complex hierarchies, which can provide solutions to cases in legal orders as different as Austria, France, Germany or Israel. Traditionally, the constitution is seen as one bloc on top of the legal system. But what this means remains often mysterious or unclear. If there could be something above this highest element, it could be considered from a moral perspective or in line with legal realism, a mere question of case-law. According to the conception set forth here, whether different levels of legal norms exist and what normative relations apply between them, is a question of positive law. Hence there may be several layers above what is usually considered primary legislation, if there are several legal forms, differentiated by their mode of production. The truly difficult problem, then, is to find out whether these difference are related to organized derogatory superiority, such that lower deficient norms can be nullified. Such structures appear more and more frequently in contemporary law. To better grasp this, we use the concept of non-equivalent polymorphism. The problem of whether courts are competent to annul lower level constitutional provisions is presently not explicitly settled in formal constitutions. It can �and should� nonetheless be solved through means of constitutional interpretation¿Pueden ser inconstitucionales algunas partes de la «Constitución»? y, en tal caso, ¿cuáles deberían ser las consecuencias? Varios tribunales han considerado estas hipótesis pero pocos han anulado artículos incluidos en la Constitución formal. Desde el ámbito académico, los debates continúan siendo muy controvertidos y parece que están pendientes explicaciones que sean convincentes a favor de una u otra solución. Este artículo aborda este rompecabezas desde dos puntos de vista: el de la teoría del Derecho y el del Derecho Constitucional comparado desde la perspectiva del normativismo analítico. Defiende la posición de que esta perspectiva permite un mejor análisis de la cuestión subyacente entendida como un problema de jerarquías complejas, y puede proporcionar soluciones a los casos presentados en ordenamientos jurídicos tan distintos como los de Austria, Francia, Alemania o Israel. Tradicionalmente, la Constitución es vista como un bloque único en la cúspide del sistema legal. Pero lo que esto significa resulta a menudo misterioso u oscuro. Si hubiera algo por encima de este elemento de la cúspide ese algo podría ser considerado desde la perspectiva moral o, en la línea de realismo jurídico, como una mera cuestión jurisprudencial. De acuerdo con la concepción aquí establecida, la pregunta de si existen diferentes niveles de normas y cuáles sean las relaciones normativas aplicables entre los mismos, es una cuestión de Derecho positivo. Por ello, puede haber varios planos por encima de lo que se suele considerar como legislación primaria, si hay varias formas legales, diferenciadas por su modo de producción. El problema verdaderamente difícil, por tanto, es encontrar si estas diferencias están relacionadas con una supremacía derogatoria organizada, de suerte que las normas inferiores deficientes puedan ser anuladas. Tales estructuras aparecen más y más frecuentemente en el Derecho contemporáneo. Para mejor captar esto, usamos el concepto de «polimorfismo no equivalente». El problema de si los tribunales son competentes para anular artículos constitucionales de un nivel inferior no está hoy en día explicitado en las Constituciones formales. Sin embargo, puede, y debe, ser resuelto por medio de la interpretación constitucionalCentro de Estudios Políticos y Constitucionales2013text (article)application/pdfhttp://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/oaiart?codigo=4560794(Revista) ISSN 0211-5743Revista española de derecho constitucional, ISSN 0211-5743, Año nº 33, Nº 99, 2013, pags. 17-60spaLICENCIA DE USO: Los documentos a texto completo incluidos en Dialnet son de acceso libre y propiedad de sus autores y/o editores. Por tanto, cualquier acto de reproducción, distribución, comunicación pública y/o transformación total o parcial requiere el consentimiento expreso y escrito de aquéllos. Cualquier enlace al texto completo de estos documentos deberá hacerse a través de la URL oficial de éstos en Dialnet. Más información: http://dialnet.unirioja.es/info/derechosOAI | INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS STATEMENT: Full text documents hosted by Dialnet are protected by copyright and/or related rights. 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