The article clarifies the essence of constitutional identity, its connection with national identity, and the characteristics of their manifestation under the conditions of a persistent threat to Ukraine’s statehood. It emphasizes that, in a broad context, constitutional identity is a system of specific values, principles, institutions, and traditions that are reflected at the normative and law enforcement (judicial) levels, as well as in legal customs and constitutional implementation practices. The core element of constitutional identity is values – objectives that are significant for each people (nation) and the means of achieving them. Constitutional identity is shaped by both national and universal values.

According to the author, national identity – as the identity of a community that serves as the source of constituent power – forms the foundation of constitutional identity. Constituent power is realized through the constitution, making the elements of national identity (such as language, culture, religion, traditions, etc.) integral components of constitutional identity. National identity represents the identity of communities, while constitutional identity reflects this identity within the constitution. It embodies the most fundamental and immutable provisions that express the “spirit” of the constitution. Therefore, the prohibition of certain types of constitutional amendments aims to preserve the nation’s preexisting identity and prevent the removal of attributes without which it would lose its distinctiveness.

The author of the article pays special attention to the implementation of constitutional and national identity amid a persistent threat to the sovereignty of the Ukrainian state. Modern Ukraine is undergoing a challenging process of shaping its constitutional identity, which, due to historical circumstances, has not yet been fully formed. The individual elements that have emerged since independence have not developed into a comprehensive philosophical and ideological doctrine that would enable Ukraine to assert itself as an equal subject of international law and allow the Ukrainian people (nation) to fully exercise their inalienable right to self-determination. Constitutional identity and national identity should serve as the fundamental components of the political and legal ideology of Ukraine as a modern national constitutional state.

The author of the article focuses on the implementation of constitutional and national identity amid a persistent threat to the sovereignty of the Ukrainian state. Modern Ukraine is navigating a complex path toward forming its constitutional identity, which, due to historical circumstances, has not yet been fully established. The individual elements that have emerged since independence have not coalesced into a comprehensive philosophical and ideological doctrine that would enable Ukraine to assert itself as an equal subject of international law and allow the Ukrainian people (nation) to fully exercise their inalienable right to self-determination. Constitutional identity and national identity should serve as the fundamental pillars of the political and legal ideology of Ukraine as a modern national constitutional state.

Bibliography

Authored books

1. Hübner Kurt, Das Nationale: Verdrängtes, Unvermeidliches, Erstrebenswertes (Stiria 1991).

2. Starosolskyi V, Teoriia natsii (Vyshcha shkola 1998) (in Ukrainian).

Edited and translated books

3. Mathieu B, ‘Constitutional Identity’, Anikó Raisz (ed), International Law from a Central European Perspective (Central European Academic Publishing 2022) 21–39.

4. Rosenfeld M, ‘Constitutional Identity’, Michel Rosenfeld, András Sajó (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Constitutional Law (Oxford University Press 2012) 756–776.

5. Sapir G, Barak-Erez D, Barak A (eds), Israeli Constitutional Law in the Making (Bloomsbury Publishing 2013).

6. Hazoni Yoram, Chesnoty natsionalizmu (per z anhl, Nash format 2025) (in Ukrainian).

Journal articles

7. Krzysztofik Е, ‘The principle of respect for the member states’ national identity with regard to the rights and obligations of migrant citizens of the European Union’ [2018] 57(79) Zbornik radova Pravnog fakulteta 157–170. 8. Oomen B, ‘Strengthening Constitutional Identity Where There Is None: The Case of the Netherlands’ [2016] 2 Revue interdisciplinaire d’études juridiques 235–263.

9. Boryslavska O, ‘Derzhavna mova i konstytutsiina identychnist Ukrainy: pryroda vzaiemozv’iazkiv’ [2023] 4 Ukrainskyi chasopys konstytutsiinoho prava 3–15 (in Ukrainian).

10. Kolisnyk V, Berchenko H, Slinko T, ‘Konstytutsiina identychnist yak vtilennia ustanovchoi vlady’ [2022] 29(3) Visnyk Natsionalnoi akademii pravovykh nauk Ukrainy 69–88 (in Ukrainian).

11. Savchyn M, ‘Konstytutsiini innovatsii ta virnist konstytutsii’ [2016] 7–8 Viche 44–47 (in Ukrainian).

12. Slinko T, Tkachenko Ye, ‘Harantuvannia konstytutsiinoi natsionalnoi identychnosti orhanamy konstytutsiinoho kontroliu] [2023] 7 Pravo Ukrainy 70–84 (in Ukrainian).

Theses

13. Nykorak O, ‘Konstytutsiina identychnist yak katehoriia konstytutsiinoho prava’ (dys doktora filosofii 2023) (in Ukrainian).

Conference papers

14. Zhyvotovska I, ‘Izrailskyi konstytutsionalizm: ohliadovyi analiz’, Pravove zhyttia suchasnoi Ukrainy: u 3 t. T. 1: materialy Mizhnar. nauk.-prakt. konf. (m. Odesa, 15 trav. 2020 r.) (M Arakelian vidp red, Helvetyka 2020) 313–316 (in Ukrainian).

Websites

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16. Zeidan Adam, Basic Law: Israeli Government (Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Jul. 2023) (accessed 27.02.2025).

17. Demokratiia v umovakh viiny: dosvid Izrailiu dlia Ukrainy (Analitychnyi tsentr “Observatoriia demokratii”) (accessed 27.02.2025) (in Ukrainian).