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Cooperatives and other fields of law

No. 1 (2018)

NATIONAL CONSTITUTIONS AND COOPERATIVES: AN OVERVIEW

  • Ifigeneia Douvitsa
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36128/wqrxep84
Submitted
September 1 2025
Published
01-09-2025

Abstract

The national constitutions as the supreme laws of countries are expected to influence the interpretation and application of ordinary laws to varying degrees. Moreover, they tend to be permeated with political considerations, ideas, ideals and ethics more than other legal texts. Theyhave also the potential to enforce supranational norms in the domestic legal order. For these reasons, their study may reveal valuable information about the national legislator‘s stance and perception towards cooperatives. Thus, the present article undertakes a large-scale inquiry on the topic of constitutions and cooperatives. In particular, it examines which and how many countries have introduced in their constitutions cooperative-related provisions, under which content and whether any particular trends can be noted. With regard to the potential impact of such constitutional provisions on ordinary law, the case of Portugal and Italy isexamined.

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