Article 3
Official text
Sovereignty resides exclusively in the people from whom public power emanates. The people exercise it in direct form or through their representatives, within the limits established by the Constitution.
Legal commentary
Interpretation
This article enshrines popular sovereignty as the foundation of democratic legitimacy. Unlike the US Constitution's 'We the People' preamble, this provision explicitly allows both direct and representative democracy. The 1991 Constitution expanded direct participation mechanisms (referendum, plebiscite, popular consultation) compared to its predecessor. Similar provisions exist in the French Constitution (Art. 3) and Spanish Constitution (Art. 1.2).
Consulted sources
No sources have been consulted for this article yet.