Can new constitutions tighten the reins? The effect of constitutional change on constitutional compliance
Abstract
Abstract Constitutional compliance varies significantly across countries and over time. One might, therefore, expect that constitutional change is systematically used to bring constitutional rules in line with constitutional practice. We investigate whether constitutional change indeed induces better compliance by the government with the constitution. Using an event study design to analyze constitutional changes in 171 countries between 1951 and 2020, we find that new constitutions lead to durable improvements in constitutional compliance in democracies. The effect of constitutional change in nondemocracies, however, is small and short-lived.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Judicial and Constitutional Studies
Corruption and Economic Development
Commonwealth
Australian Politics and Federalism
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Public Choice
- Publisher
- Springer Science and Business Media LLC
- Volume
- 207
- Issue
- 1-2
- Pages
- 221–238
- Publication date
- 7 January 2026
- Language
- EN