Rights
The 2001 Union constitution as revised in 2018, over three autonomous islands
The 2001 constitution created a Union of three autonomous islands with a rotating presidency between them. The 2018 revision abolished the rotation in its original form, extended the presidential term and removed the Constitutional Court, transferring its functions to a chamber of the Supreme Court.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — Since 2018 a chamber of the Cour suprême exercises constitutional jurisdiction; each island has its own governor and assembly.
- Deadline — Presidential term under the 2018 revision: five years, renewable once
- Deadline — Election petition: filed with the Supreme Court
Governing law
- Constitution de l'Union des Comores2001, revised 2009 and 2018
- Loi organique on the autonomous islands
- Loi électorale
In practice
The rotating presidency was the constitutional device that ended the secession crises of the 1990s by guaranteeing each island the Union presidency in turn. The 2018 abolition of that arrangement, together with the removal of the Constitutional Court, is therefore not a technical amendment but a change to the settlement that holds the state together.