Who can strike down a law?

Many constitutions rank above ordinary laws, but countries answer differently who enforces that ranking. Some have a special constitutional court. Some let every judge refuse to apply a law that breaks the constitution. Some combine the two, and a few give courts no such power at all.

Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

If a statute breaks the constitution, who has the power to set it aside?

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Click any country to see its answer. Click an entry in the key above to show only that answer.

A special constitutional court or council. A separate body decides; ordinary courts refer the question to it.
Every court can, with a top court having the last word. Any judge can refuse to apply an unconstitutional law in the case at hand.
Both: a constitutional court and every court. Ordinary judges can set a law aside in a case, and a constitutional court can also strike it down for everyone.
Only the supreme court (or a chamber of it). Other courts must refer constitutional questions to the top court.
Checked before the law is passed, not afterwards. A body reviews bills before they become law; there is little or no review afterwards.
Courts cannot strike down laws. Parliament, or another body, has the last word on its own laws.

A special constitutional court or council (70)

Every court can, with a top court having the last word (30)

Both: a constitutional court and every court (5)

Only the supreme court (or a chamber of it) (7)

Checked before the law is passed, not afterwards (2)

Courts cannot strike down laws (9)

Read this before you quote the map

Real systems are mixed and change over time. Each country is placed in the group that fits its main feature, and some sit near a boundary.
'Can strike down' means in principle. In practice courts differ widely in how often they do it, and in how independent they are.
Only countries we have checked are coloured. The rest are shown as not yet covered.

Sources

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TheLawToKnow Tools. Legal World Maps: Who can strike down a law?. https://tools.thelawtoknow.com/legal-world-maps/who-can-strike-down-a-law.

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