ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Constitutional review

Constitutional review is all about looking closely at the rules that the government has to follow. Just like when you play a game, there are rules that everyone has to follow, the government has rules too, and they are called the constitution.

The constitution is like a big rulebook that explains how the government should work and what it can or cannot do. It's a very important set of rules because it protects our rights and makes sure that the government doesn't have too much power.

Now, imagine that you are playing a game with your friends, but one of the rules seems unfair or doesn't make sense. You might want to ask your friends to change that rule so that everyone can have a fair chance to play. That's kind of what constitutional review is about.

Sometimes, people might think that the rules in the constitution are not fair or are not being followed properly. They can go to a special group of people, like judges, and ask them to review or examine if the government is following the rules correctly.

These judges are very smart and wise. They study the constitution carefully and use their knowledge to decide if everything the government is doing is right or wrong according to the rules.

If the judges find that the government is not following the rules, they can tell the government to change what they are doing or to stop doing something that is not allowed. They make sure that the government is acting in a way that is fair and follows the rules set out in the constitution.

This is important because it helps make sure that everyone is treated fairly and that the government doesn't become too powerful. If the government had all the power and didn't have to follow the rules, it could make decisions that might not be good for everyone.

So, constitutional review is like having a group of very smart and wise judges who make sure that the government is playing the game of running the country fairly and follows the rules in the constitution. They make sure that everyone, citizens like you and me, are being treated justly and that the government is following the important rules that keep our society functioning properly.