Section 12 [Supreme Authority]
Subject to the limitations laid down in this Constitution Act the
King shall have the supreme authority in all the affairs of the
Realm,
and he shall exercise such supreme authority through
the Ministers.
Section 13 [Responsibility of Ministers]
The King shall not be answerable for his actions; his person
shall be sacrosanct. The Ministers shall be responsible for the
conduct of the government; their responsibility shall be
determined by Statute.
Section 14 [Appointing Ministers]
The King shall appoint and dismiss the Prime Minister and the
other Ministers. He shall decide upon the number of Ministers
and upon the distribution of the duties of government among
them. The signature of the King to resolutions relating to
legislation and government shall make such resolutions valid,
provided that the signature of the King is accompanied by the
signature or signatures of one or more Ministers. A Minister
who has signed a resolution shall be responsible for the
resolution.
Section 15 [Vote of No Confidence]
(1) A Minister shall not remain in office after the Parliament
has passed a vote of no confidence in him.
(2) Where the Parliament passes a vote of no confidence in the
Prime Minister, he shall ask for the dismissal of the Ministry
unless writs are to be issued for a general election. Where a
vote of censure has been passed on a Ministry, or it has asked
for its dismissal, it shall continue in office until a new Ministry
has been appointed. Ministers who continue in office as
aforesaid shall do only what is necessary for the purpose of the
uninterrupted conduct of official business.
Section 16 [Impeachment]
Ministers may be impeached by the King or the Parliament with
maladministration of office. The High Court of the Realm shall
try cases of impeachment brought against Ministers for
maladministration of office.
Section 17 [Council of State]
(1) The body of Ministers shall form the Council of State, in
which the Successor to the Throne shall have a seat when he is
of age. The Council of State shall be presided over by the
King except in the instance mentioned in Section 8, and
in the instances where the Legislature in pursuance of Section
9 may have delegated the conduct of the government to
the Council of State.
(2) All Bills and important government measures shall be
discussed in the Council of State.
Section 18 [Council of Ministers]
If the King should be prevented from holding a Council of State
he may entrust the discussion of a matter to a Council of
Ministers. Such Council of Ministers shall consist of all the
Ministers, and it shall be presided over by the Prime Minister.
The vote of each Minister shall be entered in a minute book,
and any question shall be decided by a majority of votes. The
Prime Minister shall submit the Minutes, signed by the
Ministers present, to the King, who shall decide whether he will
immediately consent to the recommendations of the Council of
Ministers, or have the matter brought before him in a Council
of State.
Section 19 [Foreign Affairs]
(1) The King shall act on behalf of the Realm in international
affairs. Provided that without the consent of the Parliament the
King shall not undertake any act whereby the territory of the
Realm will be increased or decrease, nor shall he enter into any
obligation which for fulfillment requires the concurrence of the
Parliament, or which otherwise is of major importance; nor
shall the King, except with the consent of the Parliament,
terminate any international treaty entered into with the consent
of the Parliament.
(2) Except for purposes of defence against an armed attack
upon the Realm or Danish forces the King shall not use military
force against any foreign state without the consent of the
Parliament. Any measure which the King may take in
pursuance of this provision shall immediately be submitted to
the Parliament. If the Parliament is not in session it shall be
convoked immediately.
(3) The Parliament shall appoint from among its Members a
Foreign Affairs Committee, which the Government shall consult
prior to the making of any decision of major importance to
foreign policy. Rules applying to the Foreign Affairs
Committee shall be laid down by Statute.
Section 20 [Delegation of Powers]
(1) Powers vested in the authorities of the Realm under this
Constitution Act may, to such extent as shall be provided by
Statute, be delegated to international authorities set up by
mutual agreement with other states for the promotion of
international rules of law and co-operation.
(2) For the passing of a Bill dealing with the above a majority
of five-sixths of the Members of the Parliament shall be
required. If this majority is not obtained, whereas the majority
required for the passing of ordinary Bills is obtained, and if the
Government maintains it, the Bill shall be submitted to the
Electorate for approval or rejection in accordance with the rules
for Referenda laid down in Section 42.
Section 21 [Introduction of Bills]
The King may cause Bills and other measures to be introduced
in the Parliament.
Section 22 [Royal Assent]
A Bill passed by the Parliament shall become law if it receives
the Royal Assent not later than thirty days after it was finally
passed. The King shall order the promulgation of Statutes and
shall see to it that they are carried into effect.
Section 23 [Provisional Laws]
In an emergency the King may when the Parliament cannot
assemble, issue provisional laws, provided that they shall not be
at variance with the Constitution Act, and that they shall always
immediately on the assembling of the Parliament be submitted
to it for approval or rejection.
Section 24 [Prerogative of Mercy and Amnesty]
The King shall have the prerogative of mercy and of granting
amnesty. The King may grant Ministers a pardon for sentences
passed upon them by the High Court of the Realm only with the
consent of the Parliament.
Section 25 [Grants]
The King may either directly or through the relevant
Government authorities make such grants and grant such
exemptions from the Statutes as are either warranted under the
rules existing before the 5th June, 1849, or have been
warranted by a Statute passed since that date.
Section 26 [Coinage]
The King may cause money to be coined as provided by
Statute.
Section 27 [Appointment of Civil Cervants]
(1) Rules governing the appointment of civil servants shall be
laid down by Statute. No person shall be appointed a civil
servant unless he is a Danish subject. Civil servants who are
appointed by the King shall make a solemn declaration to the
effect that they will adhere to the Constitution Act.
(2) Rules governing the dismissal, transfer, and pensioning of
civil servants shall be laid down by Statute, confer Section
64.
(3) Civil servants appointed by the King shall only be
transferred without their consent if they do not suffer any loss
in the income accruing from their posts or offices, and if they
have been offered the choice of such transfer or retirement on
pension under the general rules and regulations.