Source: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Constitutional_Act_of_Denmark,_5_June_1953
Timestamp: 2014-04-23 18:00:25
Document Index: 48006594

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 94', '§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 3', '§ 5', '§ 7', '§ 8', '§ 9', '§ 10', '§ 11', '§ 12', '§ 13', '§ 14', '§ 15', '§16', '§ 17', '§ 18', '§ 19']

Constitutional Act of Denmark, 5 June 1953 - Wikisource, the free online library
Constitutional Act of Denmark (1953) related portals: Constitutional documents, Denmark.
10526Constitutional Act of Denmark1953
We Frederik IX, by the grace of God King of Denmark, the Wends and the Goths, duke of Schleswig, Holstein, Stormarn, the Ditmarshes, Lauenburg and Oldenburg,
Proclaim: In conformity with the provisions in § 94 in the Constitutional Act of Denmark of June the 5th 1915 with amendments of September the 10th 1920 the Rigsdag has two times passed, the voters have approved in a referendum held on the 28th of May 1953, whereupon We now by our Royal consent assent
§ 1 This Constitutional Act shall apply to all parts of the Kingdom of Denmark.
§ 2 The form of government shall be that of a constitutional monarchy. Royal authority shall be inherited by men and women in accordance with the provisions of the Act of Succession to the Throne of March 27, 1953.
§ 3 Legislative authority shall be vested in the King and the Folketing conjointly. Executive authority shall be vested in the King. Judicial authority shall be vested in the courts of justice.
§ 5 The King shall not reign in other countries except with the consent of the Folketing.
§ 7 The King shall be of age when he has completed his eighteenth year. The same provision shall apply to the Heir to the Throne.
§ 8 The King shall, prior to his accession to the throne, make a solemn declaration in writing before the Council of State that he will faithfully adhere to the Constitutional Act. Two identical originals of the declaration shall be executed, one of which shall be delivered to the Folketing for preserving in its archives, while the other shall be filed in the Public Record Office. When, because of absence or for other reasons, the King is unable to sign the aforesaid declaration immediately on his accession to the throne, government shall, unless otherwise provided by statute, be conducted by the Council of State until such declaration has been signed. When the King has already, as Heir to the Throne, signed the aforesaid declaration, he shall accede to the throne immediately it becomes vacant.
§ 9 Provisions relating to the exercising of sovereign power in the event of the minority, illness, or absence of the King shall be laid down by statute. Should the throne become vacant and there be no Heir to the Throne, the Folketing shall elect a King and establish the future order of succession to the throne.
§ 10 (1) The King’s Civil List shall be granted for the duration of his reign by statute. Such statute shall also provide for the castles, palaces, and other State property which shall be placed at the dis- posal of the King for his use. (2) The Civil List shall not be chargeable with any debt.
§ 11 Members of the Royal House may be granted annuities by statute. Such annuities shall not be enjoyed outside the Realm except with the consent of the Folketing.
§ 12 Subject to the limitations laid down in this Constitutional Act, the King shall have supreme authority in all the affairs of the Realm, and shall exercise such supreme authority through the Ministers.
§ 13 The King shall not be answerable for his actions; his person shall be sacrosanct. The Ministers shall be responsible for the conduct of government; their responsibility shall be defined by statute.
§ 14 The King shall appoint and dismiss the Prime Minister and the other Ministers. He shall decide upon the number of Ministers and upon the distribution of the duties of government among them. The signature of the King to resolutions relating to legislation and government shall make such resolutions valid, provided that the signature of the King is accompanied by the signature or signatures of one or more Ministers. A Minister who has signed a resolution shall be responsible for the resolution.
§ 15 (1) A Minister shall not remain in office after the Folketing has approved a vote of no confidence in him. (2) When the Folketing passes a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister, he shall ask for the dismissal of the Ministry unless writs are to be issued for a general election. Where a vote of censure has been passed on a Ministry, or it has asked for its dismissal, it shall continue in office until a new Ministry has been appointed. Ministers who remain in office as aforesaid shall perform only what may be necessary to ensure the uninterrupted conduct of official business.
§16 Ministers may be impeached by the King or the Folketing for maladministration of office. The High Court of the Realm shall try cases of impeachment brought against Ministers for maladministration of office.
§ 17 (1) The body of Ministers shall form the Council of State, in which the Heir to the Throne shall have a seat when of age. The Council of State shall be presided over by the King except in the instance mentioned in section 8, and in instances where the legislature in pursuance of section 9 may have delegated the conduct of government to the Council of State. (2) All Bills and important government measures shall be discussed in the Council of State.
§ 18 Should the King be prevented from holding a Council of State he may entrust the discussion of any matter to a Council of Ministers. Such Council of Ministers shall consist of all the Ministers, and shall be presided over by the Prime Minister. The vote of each Minister shall be entered in a minute book, and any question shall be decided by a majority of votes. The Prime Minister shall submit the minutes, signed by the Ministers present, to the King, who shall decide whether he will immediately consent to the recommendations of the Council of Ministers, or have the matter brought before him in a Council of State.
§ 19 (1) The King shall act on behalf of the Realm in international affairs, but, except with the consent of the Folketing, the King shall not undertake any act whereby the territory of the Realm shall be increased or reduced, nor shall he enter into any obligation which for fulfilment requi