forfatning

Forfatning is the fundamental law of a state that sets up the organs of government, defines powers and duties, and guarantees basic rights. It can be written in a single document (a codified constitution) or exist as a larger framework of foundational laws in some systems (unwritten or partly codified constitutions). It establishes the basic arrangement of state power, typically including the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary; it regulates how leaders are elected or appointed, how laws are made and changed, and how the constitution itself can be amended.

The forfatning usually sets out fundamental rights and freedoms, such as freedom of expression, freedom of religion, due process, equality before the law, and protections for minorities. It also outlines the rules for elections, the functioning of public administration, and the limits on governmental power. In many countries, the constitution has a higher status than ordinary laws, and constitutional review allows courts to strike down legislation or executive actions that conflict with it.

Forms vary: some states have a written, entrenched constitution that is hard to amend; others operate with an unwritten or partially codified set of rules. Amendment procedures often require special majorities, referendums, or supermajorities.

In Nordic and other European contexts, forfatning supports representative democracy and the rule of law, with constitutional monarchies in which the monarch's role is largely ceremonial and political power is exercised by elected representatives within constitutional limits. The historical development ranges from early charters and revolutions to modern comprehensive constitutions that continue to evolve through democratic processes.