International assistance

The role of international or external support for national processes of constitution building has an instrumental impact on the design of these processes and the institutional choices that ultimately are framed in constitutions.

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Training programme

The new Constitution Builders CONNECT Resource – is an interactive training tool that reinforces sharing experiences as a means to building the capacity of practitioners to solve some of the dilemmas that they face in constitution building.

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Handbook

The Handbook reviews and discusses some of the institutional and procedural design choices that practitioners have recently considered during contemporary constitution building.

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Issue papers

Selected issues are considered at length based on emerging and ongoing dialogues among practitioners and specialists.

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Multimedia

A collection of multimedia resources from and about constitution-building processes.

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Web links

The web links provide a comprehensive list of relevant organizations and partners working in constitution building and related subjects.

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§ Note: this is background material. The final handbook is available online in PDF format.

The issue of whether the executive is compelled to spend the funds appropriated by the legislature is another measure of legislative strength. In many countries the executive is compelled to spend all funds appropriated. However, some constitutions contain provisions which give the executive discretion over expenditures. These provisions represent a weakening of legislative power.

Legislative Appropriations Mandatory
Under some constitutions, the executive is obligated to spend the funds appropriated by the legislature. More information

Provisions

The Instrument of Government of the Kingdom of Sweden (1974, as Amended to 2002)Chapter 9, Article 2State funds may not be used other than as determined by the Riksdag.The Riksdag approves the use of such funds for different purposes by adopting a budget in accordance with Articles 3 to 5. The Riksdag may, however, determine that funds may be employed in accordance with some other procedure.
Legislative Appropriations Not Mandatory
In some countries, the legislature authorizes but does not oblige expenditures. Thus, the executive lacks the power to spend more than the legislature has allowed but may spend less. Under some constitutions, however, legislative authorization for increased spending is not required in a state of emergency. More information

Provisions

The Constitution of the Kingdom of Spain (1978, as Amended to 1992)Article 1341. It is incumbent upon the Government to draft the State Budget and upon the Cortes Generales to examine, amend and adopt it.2. The State Budget shall be drafted annually and shall include the entire expenditure and income of the State public sector and a specific mention shall be made of the amount of the fiscal benefits affecting State taxes.3. The Government must submit the draft State Budget to the Congress at least three months before the expiration of that of the previous year.4. If the Budget Bill is not passed before the first day of the corresponding financial year, the Budget of the previous financial year shall be automatically extended until the new one is approved.5. Once the Budget Bill has been adopted, the Government may submit bills involving increases in public expenditure or decreases in the revenue corresponding to the same financial year.6. Any non-governmental bill or amendment which involves an increase in appropriations or a decrease in budget revenue shall require previous approval by the Government before its passage.7. The Budget Act may not establish new taxes. It may modify them, wherever a tax law of a substantive nature so provides.

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