The document describes the Constitute project, which aims to catalog the contents of all constitutions written since 1789. It is a collaboration between scholars that will create a searchable database of constitutional provisions on topics like heads of state and term limits. This will provide drafters and domestic actors involved in constitutional processes with information from other constitutions. The project is building a structured database and preview website to make all national constitutions universally accessible and empower local stakeholders.

1. Constitute
Electronic Retrieval of Constitutional Excerpts
James Melton
Lecturer in Comparative Politics
University College London
j.melton@ucl.ac.uk
18th May, 2013
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2. Who’s Involved
Collaborators –
ž Zachary Elkins, University of Texas at Austin
ž Tom Ginsburg, University of Chicago Law School
Technical Assistance –
ž Daniel Miranker, University of Texas at Austin
ž Juan Sequeda, University of Texas at Austin
ž Robert Schaffer, University of Texas at Austin
Financial Support –
ž The Indigo Trust
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3. The Comparative Constitutions Project
Objective – catalog the contents of all constitutions written in
independent states since 1789
Data –
ž chronology of constitutional events
ž repository of texts
ž survey of contents
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4. Why Constitute?
Facts –
ž 15% of countries change their constitution each year
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5. Why Constitute?
Facts –
ž 15% of countries change their constitution each year
ž constitutional drafters are typically inexperienced
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6. Why Constitute?
Facts –
ž 15% of countries change their constitution each year
ž constitutional drafters are typically inexperienced
Need –
information on contents of other countries’ constitutions
access to domestic constitutions
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7. Constitute: A Preview
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8. Constitute: A Preview
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9. Constitute: A Preview
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10. Constitute: A Preview
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11. Building Constitute
center
Tag Response Article Number
HOSTERM 5 113.1
HOSTERML Only two terms permitted, total 113.2
Tag Topic
HOSTERM Head of State
Term Length
HOSTERML Head of State
Term Limits
Article 113
(Term of office)
1. The term of office of
President of the Republic
shall last for five years . . .
2. Each citizen may serve up
to two terms of office as
President of the Republic.
(Angola’s 2010 Constitution)
<http://ccp.org/data/Angola2010/113/1> <http://ccp.org/data/topic> <http://ccp.org/data/topic=HOSTERM> .
<http://ccp.org/data/Angola2010/113/1> <http://ccp.org/data/article> "Article 113 | 1." .
<http://ccp.org/data/Angola2010/113/1> <http://ccp.org/data/text> "The term of office of President . . . " .
<http://ccp.org/data/Angola2010/113/2> <http://ccp.org/data/topic> <http://ccp.org/data/topic=HOSTERML> .
<http://ccp.org/data/Angola2010/113/2> <http://ccp.org/data/article> "Article 113 | 2." .
<http://ccp.org/data/Angola2010/113/2> <http://ccp.org/data/text> "Each citizen may serve up to two terms . . . " .
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12. Building Constitute
center
Tag Response Article Number
HOSTERM 5 113.1
HOSTERML Only two terms permitted, total 113.2
Tag Topic
HOSTERM Head of State
Term Length
HOSTERML Head of State
Term Limits
Article 113
(Term of office)
1. The term of office of
President of the Republic
shall last for five years . . .
2. Each citizen may serve up
to two terms of office as
President of the Republic.
(Angola’s 2010 Constitution)
<http://ccp.org/data/Angola2010/113/1> <http://ccp.org/data/topic> <http://ccp.org/data/topic=HOSTERM> .
<http://ccp.org/data/Angola2010/113/1> <http://ccp.org/data/article> "Article 113 | 1." .
<http://ccp.org/data/Angola2010/113/1> <http://ccp.org/data/text> "The term of office of President . . . " .
<http://ccp.org/data/Angola2010/113/2> <http://ccp.org/data/topic> <http://ccp.org/data/topic=HOSTERML> .
<http://ccp.org/data/Angola2010/113/2> <http://ccp.org/data/article> "Article 113 | 2." .
<http://ccp.org/data/Angola2010/113/2> <http://ccp.org/data/text> "Each citizen may serve up to two terms . . . " .
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13. Building Constitute
center
Tag Response Article Number
HOSTERM 5 113.1
HOSTERML Only two terms permitted, total 113.2
Tag Topic
HOSTERM Head of State
Term Length
HOSTERML Head of State
Term Limits
Article 113
(Term of office)
1. The term of office of
President of the Republic
shall last for five years . . .
2. Each citizen may serve up
to two terms of office as
President of the Republic.
(Angola’s 2010 Constitution)
<http://ccp.org/data/Angola2010/113/1> <http://ccp.org/data/topic> <http://ccp.org/data/topic=HOSTERM> .
<http://ccp.org/data/Angola2010/113/1> <http://ccp.org/data/article> "Article 113 | 1." .
<http://ccp.org/data/Angola2010/113/1> <http://ccp.org/data/text> "The term of office of President . . . " .
<http://ccp.org/data/Angola2010/113/2> <http://ccp.org/data/topic> <http://ccp.org/data/topic=HOSTERML> .
<http://ccp.org/data/Angola2010/113/2> <http://ccp.org/data/article> "Article 113 | 2." .
<http://ccp.org/data/Angola2010/113/2> <http://ccp.org/data/text> "Each citizen may serve up to two terms . . . " .
Melton Constitute 18th May, 2013 6 / 8

14. Building Constitute
center
Tag Response Article Number
HOSTERM 5 113.1
HOSTERML Only two terms permitted, total 113.2
Tag Topic
HOSTERM Head of State
Term Length
HOSTERML Head of State
Term Limits
Article 113
(Term of office)
1. The term of office of
President of the Republic
shall last for five years . . .
2. Each citizen may serve up
to two terms of office as
President of the Republic.
(Angola’s 2010 Constitution)
<http://ccp.org/data/Angola2010/113/1> <http://ccp.org/data/topic> <http://ccp.org/data/topic=HOSTERM> .
<http://ccp.org/data/Angola2010/113/1> <http://ccp.org/data/article> "Article 113 | 1." .
<http://ccp.org/data/Angola2010/113/1> <http://ccp.org/data/text> "The term of office of President . . . " .
<http://ccp.org/data/Angola2010/113/2> <http://ccp.org/data/topic> <http://ccp.org/data/topic=HOSTERML> .
<http://ccp.org/data/Angola2010/113/2> <http://ccp.org/data/article> "Article 113 | 2." .
<http://ccp.org/data/Angola2010/113/2> <http://ccp.org/data/text> "Each citizen may serve up to two terms . . . " .
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15. Concluding Remarks
Universal access to all national constitutions
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16. Concluding Remarks
Universal access to all national constitutions
Empowering domestic actors –
ž involved in constitutional change
ž play a more active role in their country’s governance
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17. More resources for constitutional drafters are available at
ConstitutionMaking.org
Thank You!
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