abolish a state by ordinary legislative procedure without recourse to constitutional
amendment”.
subnational separation of powers.
Malaysia and Russia have no court systems or very weak courts, at the subnational
level. In Malaysia the federal Supreme Court is the highest authority in a centralized judicial
system. Each state has its own high courts, but no supreme court. Federal laws “take
precedence over state laws in matters of incompatibility”.
throughout Malaysia, and the administration of Islamic affairs, including courts, is relatively
decentralized, typically under the supervision of a sultan. Malaysia is regarded as quasi-
federal.
In Russia, Article 71 of the highly centralist 1993 constitution places the courts
entirely under the federal government. Although Russia’s 89 territorial components have
their own legislatures, only 12 regions have their own courts. Russia has a further problem.
Under President Putin, the federal government has increasingly encroached on the autonomy
of the regions, enacting reforms to make it possible for the president to dismiss regional
its constitutional order is precarious, with unrestrained executive power exercised both
nationally as well as in many of the subnational units.
St. Kitts and Nevis pose additional challenges for classification. One island has a
legislature (Nevis), but another (St. Kitts) does not. Moreover, the system of justice based
the East Caribbean Supreme Court based in St. Lucia. Another island nation, Comoros, is at
best a quasi-federal system. Each island has its own president and assemblies, but there is a
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Convention