Las constituciones locales como fuente de interpretación de la constituciones nacionales: El caso de Jalisco, México

In federations such as Mexico, the citizens of the different states that composed the union find themselves significantly constrained by the National Constitution when they wish to enact structural changes to their local constitutions. These limitations question the legitimacy of constitutional arrangements and pose a serious challenge to the practice of democracy in federal states. Taking as an example the recent proposals to set in motion a constitution making process in the State of Jalisco (Mexico), this article explores the difficult relations between the national and local levels of government when it comes to the problem of constitutional change.