Podział władzy w Republice Cypryjskiej pomiędzy społeczność grecką i turecką jako prawnoustrojowa odpowiedź państwa na jego strukturę etniczną

Abstract

The ethnic structure of the state is one of the factors that can shape its system and result in the adoption of various specific legal mechanisms. The aim of this article is to present, on the example of the Republic of Cyprus, an unusual legal system solution consisting in the proportional division of power, i.e. positions and offices in the state, between the dominant ethnic groups. The analysis will concern selected provisions of the Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus, which refer to the Greek and Turkish communities living in Cyprus and regulate the level and manner of their participation in exercising power in the state. The uniqueness of the constitutional solutions adopted in Cyprus will be emphasized, which, in order to ensure the unity of the state and constitute significant guarantees for ethnic groups, may in practice, however, turn out to be non- -functional or lead to distortions.