「一個人的生命、自由及財產權、
言論自由、出版自由、信仰與集會的自由,
以及其他的基本權利都是不能被拿來投票的;
這些權利從不取決於選舉的結果。」
—Robert H. Jackson561
在前一個章節,本文曾論及自由民主憲政秩序作為直接民主之憲法界限,自然蘊 含著直接民主不得造成違憲基本權侵害之規範要求。這項誡命的落實,則仰賴一套公 投的審查機制,換言之,也就是公投合憲性控制的法制建構。
而公投不得造成違憲基本權侵害,也隱然呼應著一般習稱的「
人權不能公投
」。然 而,「人權不得公投」不僅在要求直接民主決定的基本權界限,更是如美國聯邦最高法 院法官Robert H. Jackson 所積極宣示的:「不能拿來投票」。換言之,針對涉及人權之 事項,或至少是導致違憲的人權事項,自始
不得以直接民主的方式作成決定。若稍微 將問題轉化,將其放在公投違憲審查的脈絡之下,則意味著需要引入「事前
」的合憲
561 319 U.S. 624, 638 (1943). 引用原文 “One's right to life, liberty, and property, to free speech, a free press, freedom of worship and assembly, and other fundamental rights may not be submitted to vote; they depend on the outcome of no elections.”
性控制。但是相較之下,代議機構的立法過程通常受國會自律保障,不容許外在干預;
144-145 (Durham, North Carolina: Carolina Academic Press. 2014). Morel 教授則指出公投司法化的一般性 趨勢中,針對公投過程,如提案、連署及投票等環節引發的程序瑕疵,乃至於公投議題的明確性、單 一性審查等,逐漸成為公投審查的基本制度要求。See Morel, supra note 58, at 522.
563 以 下 主 要 整 理 自 CONSTITUTE,
https://www.constituteproject.org/search?lang=en&key=initiat&status=in_force (last visited Dec 12, 2018).
564 The Constitution of the Slovak Republic Article 93(3):
Basic rights and freedoms, taxes, levies and the state budget may not be the subject of a referendum.
565 The Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia Article 90:
The National Assembly shall call a referendum on the entry into force of a law that it has adopted if so required by at least forty thousand voters.
A referendum may not be called: on laws eliminating an unconstitutionality in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms or any other unconstitutionality.
566 The Constitution of the Republic of AlbaniaArticle 151(2):
Issues related to the territorial integrity of the Republic of Albania, limitations of fundamental human rights and freedoms, budget, taxes, financial obligations of the state, declaration and abrogation of the state of emergency, declaration of war and peace, as well as amnesty, cannot be voted upon in a referendum.
567 Constitution of Republic Serbia Article 108(2):
The subject of the referendum may not include duties deriving from international contracts, laws pertaining to human and minority rights and freedoms, fiscal and other financial laws, the budget and financial statement, introduction of the state of emergency and amnesty, as well as issues pertaining to election competences of the National Assembly.
568 The Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Article 74(4):
刑罰問題不得作為公投主題)569、墨西哥(憲法第 35 條第八項第三款)570、烏干達
(憲法第255 條第四項 a 款)571等等。在此之外,也不乏規定公投案須受合憲性審查 者,如法國、德國、瑞士、葡萄牙、義大利、匈牙利、烏克蘭、克羅埃西亞、立陶宛、
亞美尼亞、喬治亞、美國、智利、哥倫比亞、蒙古等等572,因而在這些國家,公投案 內容也將可能受到憲法基本權條款的實質控制。
透過瞭解不同國家如何對公投進行事前合憲性控制,有助於我們思考這項機制的 憲法容許性,以及制度落實上可能產生的各項問題。因此,筆者擬針對公投的事前合 憲控制,鳥瞰式地介紹、歸納分析各國法制,再探究這些國家之所以容許事前合憲審 查,其可能的制度條件為何。需要提醒的是,此處觀察重點聚焦於合憲性審查,也就 是公投提案是否違反上位憲法規範之審查;故各國制度中有關程序爭議、以及一案一 事項、同一事項重行提出乃至於事項限制之事前審查,並不在筆者此處要引介、探究 的範圍之內。而並未採取事前控制的國家,自然也不在介紹範圍之中。
而若初步觀察,得對公投案施加事前審查的有權機關可能是政治部門,也可能是 司法部門,前者又包括行政部門審查及立法權審查。考量到在我國實踐下,中選會是 否有權進行事前合憲控制之爭議,與其作為行政部門一環之性質有所關聯;因此以下 將先以審查主體作為分類依據,概略介紹不同國家的法制設計。
shall not be possible to submit budget laws to an abrogatory referendum, neither those establishing or modifying taxes, relating to public credit, to amnesty, the protection, guaranteeing and developing human rights, nor those which ratify international treaties.
569 Constitution of Argentina Article 39:
Bills referring to constitutional reform, international treaties, taxes, the budget and penal matters shall not be the subject of popular initiatives.
570 The Political Constitution of the United Mexican States Article 35 VIII (3):
The restriction of the human rights considered in this Constitution, the principles of article 40 therein; the electoral matter; State income and expenses; national security and the organization, operation and discipline of the permanent Army, may not be subject to popular consultation;
571 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda Article 255(4):
A referendum to which clause (3) applies, shall not affect-
a.the fundamental and other human rights and freedoms guaranteed under Chapter Four of this Constitution;
572 本文將在以下章節做細部介紹。