What is Constitution Day?
Constitution Day is observed in many countries, but it refers to different documents and dates. Spain celebrates it on 6 December, the anniversary of the referendum of 1978 in which voters approved the current constitution after the end of the Franco dictatorship. Andorra marks 14 March, the date of the 1993 referendum that approved its first written constitution and made it a parliamentary co-principality. Japan's Constitution Memorial Day on 3 May recalls the day in 1947 when its postwar constitution took effect.
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, and Svalbard follows the Norwegian date. Poland has its own holiday for its 1791 constitution on 3 May. The celebrations in Norway start early in the morning with flags and breakfast and continue into the night.
Why it is observed
The tradition of marking a constitution is tied to the rise of constitutional government in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. In Norway, the 1814 constitution was drafted in the months after Denmark ceded the country and became a symbol of independence, first from Denmark and later within the union with Sweden, which was dissolved in 1905. In Spain and Andorra, the days are more recent and are 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 Spain, 6 December is a national holiday and the Congress of Deputies traditionally holds an open day. Norway's 17 May is a festive occasion with very high participation, and most shops are closed. In 2027 the dates fall on Monday 6 December in Spain, Sunday 14 March in Andorra and Monday 17 May in Norway. Pay and time off depend on national law and the contract.
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