Confederal Constitution | Definition, Features, Pros & Cons

Confederal Constitution – Definition, Features, Advantages and Disadvantages

A confederal constitution provides for a union of states with a very weak and almost powerless central authority, and powerful components, (in most cases, states or regions or municipalities). Simply put, the central government under a confederal constitution is subordinate to the component units. A good example was the constitution of the confederation of Sene-gambia which made up of Senegal and Gambia before the two entities separated to become independent countries.

Merits of a Confederal Constitution

1. Retention of individual identities: confederal constitution enables
   the component states to retain their individual identities.
2. Constitutional right to secession: there is provision for secession
   under confederal constitution to the effect that any member of the
   component units cannot be compelled to remain in the confederation.
3. Reduction of the fear of domination, since each autonomous unit is allowed to retain its identity, the fear of domination reduced.

Demerits of Confederal Constitution

1. Political instability – The component units’ right to secede constitutes a source of serious threat to political stability.
2. Discourages political unity – Confederal constitution do not encourage political unity, which is very critical to the security and development of a country.