coconstituted

Coconstituted is an adjective used in political science and constitutional design to describe a state, government, or political order that is founded, maintained, or reshaped through the participation and agreement of two or more distinct communities or groups. In a coconstituted arrangement, sovereignty and constitutional legitimacy are conceived as shared among the groups rather than belonging to a single majority. The term emphasizes inclusive founding processes and ongoing co-rule rather than a unitary, winner-takes-all sovereignty.

Typical features include power-sharing institutions (executive posts reserved for different groups), proportional or consociational representation, bicameral legislatures with balanced group seats, veto rights, and autonomous or semi-autonomous subunits. These mechanisms aim to prevent dominance by any one group and to create incentives for consensus.

Contexts and examples: The concept is often discussed in the context of multinational or multiethnic states, federations, and post-conflict settlements. Scholars have described Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Dayton framework and its complex institutional design as a coconstituted arrangement among Bosniaks, Serbs, and Croats. Lebanon’s longstanding confessional system and power-sharing practices have also been cited in discussions of coconstitutionalism. Some analyses apply the term to other entities that are explicitly co-authored by major constituent groups, such as certain forms of Northern Ireland governance under the peace process.

Critics argue that coconstitutionalism can entrench group vetoes, hinder reform, and produce gridlock or stalemate if groups block changes to the constitutional order. Proponents contend that it provides stability and protects minority groups in deeply divided societies, albeit often at the cost of swift decision-making.

See also: consociationalism, power sharing, federalism, multinational states.