Greek Constitution of 1827

Last updated

The Greek Constitution of 1827 was signed and ratified in June 1827 by the Third National Assembly at Troezen during the latter stages of the Greek War of Independence and represented the first major step towards realizing a centralised system of Government, pooling together some of the more disparate elements of the liberation struggle. The Third National Assembly initially convened in Piada (now Nea Epidavros) in 1826 and subsequently in Troezen in 1827. After unanimously electing John Capodistria as Governor of Greece for a seven-year term, it voted for the Political Constitution of Greece (Greek : Πολιτικόν Σύνταγμα της Ελλάδος, romanized: Politikón Syntagma tis Elládos). The Assembly wanted to give the country a stable government, modeled on democratic and liberal ideas, and for this reason it declared for the first time the principle of popular sovereignty: "Sovereignty lies with the people; every power derives from the people and exists for the people". This key democratic principle was repeated in all the Greek Constitutions after 1864.

Contents

Features

The Constitution consisted of 150 articles. It established a strict separation of powers, vesting the executive power to the Governor and assigning to the body of the representatives of the people, named Vouli, the legislative power. The Governor only had a suspending veto on the bills, and he lacked the right to dissolve the Parliament. He was 'inviolable', while the Secretaries of the State, in other words the Ministers, assumed the responsibility for his public actions (thus introducing into the text of the 1827 Constitution the first elements of the so-called 'parliamentary principle'). The Constitution was also comparatively developed in its approach to human rights for the time.

Definition of Greekness

Paragraph 6 provided a definition of who is to be considered a Greek: [1]

As a formal sign of naturalisation, the Constitution includes the so-called Greek Oath: "I swear in the name of the All-Highest and of the fatherland to always come to the assistance of the freedom and well-being of my nation, sacrificing for it even my life, if the need should arise. Further I swear to submit to the laws of my fatherland, to respect the rights of my co-citizens, and to fulfill without fail the obligations of a citizen." [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oath of office</span> Official promise by a person elected to public office to lawfully fulfill its duties

An oath of office is an oath or affirmation a person takes before assuming the duties of an office, usually a position in government or within a religious body, although such oaths are sometimes required of officers of other organizations. Such oaths are often required by the laws of the state, religious body, or other organization before the person may actually exercise the powers of the office or organization. It may be administered at an inauguration, coronation, enthronement, or other ceremony connected with the taking up of office itself, or it may be administered privately. In some cases it may be administered privately and then repeated during a public ceremony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prime Minister of Greece</span> Head of government of Greece

The Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic, colloquially referred to as the Prime Minister of Greece,

<span class="mw-page-title-main">President of Gabon</span> Head of state of the Gabonese Republic

The president of Gabon is the head of state of Gabon. A total of three people have served as president since the post was formed in 1960.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Constitution of the Czech Republic</span>

The Constitution of the Czech Republic is the supreme law of the Czech Republic. The current constitution was adopted by the Czech National Council on 16 December 1992. It entered into force on 1 January 1993, replacing the 1960 Constitution of Czechoslovakia and the constitutional act No. 143/1968 Col., when Czechoslovakia gave way to the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic in a peaceful dissolution.

An entrenched clause or entrenchment clause of a constitution is a provision that makes certain amendments either more difficult or impossible to pass. Overriding an entrenched clause may require a supermajority, a referendum, or the consent of the minority party. The term eternity clause is used in a similar manner in the constitutions of Brazil, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, India, Iran, Italy, Morocco, Norway, and Turkey, but specifically applies to an entrenched clause that can never be overridden. However, if a constitution provides for a mechanism of its own abolition or replacement, like the German Basic Law does in Article 146, this by necessity provides a "back door" for getting rid of the "eternity clause", too.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">President of Benin</span>

The president of Benin is both head of state and head of government in Benin. The Cabinet of Benin is under the authority of the President, and serves to advise and help formulate strategies. It also liaises with ministries and other government institutions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oath of Allegiance (Canada)</span> Promise of fealty to the Canadian monarch

The Canadian Oath of Allegiance is a promise or declaration of fealty to the Canadian monarch—as personification of the Canadian state and its authority, rather than as an individual person—taken, along with other specific oaths of office, by new occupants of various federal and provincial government offices; members of federal, provincial, and municipal police forces; members of the Canadian Armed Forces; and, in some provinces, all lawyers upon admission to the bar. The Oath of Allegiance also makes up the first portion of the Oath of Citizenship, the taking of which is a requirement of obtaining Canadian nationality.

An oath of citizenship is an oath taken by immigrants that officially naturalizes immigrants into citizens. It is often the final step in this process, and is usually done in a ceremonial capacity. An oath of citizenship is designed to be a statement of patriotism and loyalty to the new country. In countries which retain a monarchical system of government, an oath of allegiance to the monarch is often required as well. Adding an oath to God to the end of an oath is usually optional.

The following is a list of the Polish military oaths, both historical and contemporary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">President of Kyrgyzstan</span> Head of state and head of government of Kyrgyzstan

The president of Kyrgyzstan, officially the president of the Kyrgyz Republic, is the head of state and head of government of the Kyrgyz Republic. The president directs the executive branch of the national government, is the commander-in-chief of the Kyrgyz military and also heads the National Security Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oath of Allegiance (United Kingdom)</span> Promise to be loyal to the British monarch

The Oath of Allegiance is a promise to be loyal to the British monarch, and his or her heirs and successors, sworn by certain public servants in the United Kingdom, and also by newly naturalised subjects in citizenship ceremonies. The current standard wording of the oath of allegiance is set out in the Promissory Oaths Act 1868.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hellenic Parliament</span> Unicameral legislative body of Greece

The Hellenic Parliament or Greek Parliament, formally known as the Parliament of the Hellenes and also known as the Hellenic Bouleterion, is the unicameral legislature of Greece, located in the Old Royal Palace, overlooking Syntagma Square in Athens. The parliament is the supreme democratic institution that represents the citizens through an elected body of Members of Parliament (MPs).

The Greek Constitution of 1822 was a document adopted by the First National Assembly of Epidaurus on 1 January 1822. Formally it was the Provisional Regime of Greece, sometimes translated as Temporary Constitution of Greece. Considered to be the first constitution of Modern Greece, it was an attempt to achieve temporary governmental and military organisation until the future establishment of a national parliament.

"All the indigenous inhabitants of the Greek Territory who believe in Christ are Greeks."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greek Constitution of 1844</span> First constitution of the Kingdom of Greece

The first constitution of the Kingdom of Greece was the Greek Constitution of 1844. On 3 September 1843, the military garrison of Athens, with the help of citizens, rebelled and demanded from King Otto the concession of a Constitution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Third National Assembly at Troezen</span>

The Third National Assembly at Troezen was a Greek national assembly that convened at Troezen in 1827 during the latter stages of the Greek war of independence. Its aim was to complete the work of the 1826 'Third National Assembly of Epidaurus' - which had been interrupted due to the war events. The Third National Assembly at Trozen eventually ratified the first definitive charter of the First Hellenic Republic, the "Political Constitution of Greece". Additionally, statesman Ioannis Capodistrias was elected as the first Governor of the Hellenic State.

In Australia, an Oath of Allegiance or an Affirmation of Allegiance are oaths of allegiance required to be made to the monarch of Australia in some situations. Oaths of Allegiance are usually made on a Bible, or some other book holy to the person, such as a Torah or Koran; but the person may opt to make an affirmation in lieu of an oath. Note that this oath is not the same as the Australian Citizenship Pledge which is required to be made when being naturalised as an Australian citizen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Estonian nationality law</span> History and regulations of Estonian citizenship

Estonian citizenship law details the conditions by which a person is a citizen of Estonia. The primary law currently governing these requirements is the Citizenship Act, which came into force on 1 April 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chief minister (India)</span> Head of government of a state or union territory in India

In India, a Chief Minister is the elected head of government of each state out of the 28 states and sometimes a union territory (UT). Currently, only the UTs of Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir and Puducherry have serving chief ministers. According to the Constitution of India, the governor is a state's head, but de facto executive authority rests with the chief minister.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chief Minister (Pakistan)</span>

A chief minister, is the elected head of government of a province in Pakistan. The chief minister is the head of the provincial government, whereas in contrast, the governor is the nominal head, or the "de jure executive" and does everything under the guidance of the chief minister. The chief minister is elected by the provincial assembly, and is the leader of the provincial Legislature.

The governor of Imo State is an elective political position, one of the governors of the thirty-six states of Nigeria. The governor of Imo State is the chief executive officer of Imo state and its executive branch with the assistance of the deputy governor. Fourteen people have served as governor since Imo State was created in 1976: eight military governors, two military administrators and seven democratic governors. The current governor is Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress, in office since January 15, 2020.

References