Constitution Day 2027

What is Constitution Day?

Constitution Day is observed in several countries, but it refers to different documents and dates. Spain celebrates it on 6 December, in memory of the referendum of 1978 in which voters approved the current constitution, which followed the end of the Franco dictatorship. Andorra marks 14 March, the date of the 1993 referendum that approved its first written constitution and made the country a parliamentary co-principality. These are only a few of the many countries with such a holiday. In Spain it is a national holiday and is also an occasion for the Cortes Generales to open its doors to the public. Andorra's day also falls within the winter ski season.

In Norway, Constitution Day is 17 May, the biggest national celebration of the year, with children's parades in towns and villages, brass bands, flags and people in national costume called bunad. The date recalls the signing of the Norwegian constitution at Eidsvoll in 1814. Svalbard follows the Norwegian date. Poland has a separate holiday for its 1791 constitution on 3 May, and other countries have their own days, so the context of each country matters. In Norway the 17 May celebrations start early in the morning with flags and breakfast and continue into the night.

Why it is observed

The tradition of celebrating a constitution is tied to the rise of constitutional government in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. In Norway, the 1814 constitution was written in the months after Denmark ceded the country, and its anniversary became a symbol of independence from Danish rule and, later, of the union with Sweden, which was dissolved in 1905. In Spain and Andorra, the days are more recent, linked to the transition to democracy and the creation of modern institutions in the late twentieth century. Each of these holidays marks a different moment in the formation of the state.

How the date is set

There is no single date. Constitution Day is a generic name for the anniversary of a country's constitution, and the date depends on the country and on whether it marks the adoption, the signing, a referendum or the entry into force.

How it is observed

Where Constitution Day is a public holiday, public offices, banks, schools and most shops close, and there are usually official events. In Norway the day is a festive national occasion with a very high level of participation, and shops are closed. In Spain, the holiday is often combined with the Immaculate Conception on 8 December, forming a long weekend known as the puente. Check the specific country's date. Pay and time off depend on national law and the contract. Check the country page. Always confirm the date for the specific country, since it is easy to confuse with other national days.