Every year on December 6, Spain celebrates its national holiday, Constitution Day. Why was this date chosen to honor the country’s main body of law, or, as it is often called in Spain, the Carta Magna?
Spain, compared to other European countries, adopted a Constitution and embarked on the path of developing democratic values relatively recently – in 1978. After the death of Francisco Franco after almost 40 years of dictatorship (1936-1975), the country began the process of transition to a parliamentary monarchy, a form of government that exists in Spain to this day. An integral part of this procedure was the drafting and adoption of the Constitution.
On December 6, 1978, the country held a general referendum in which the majority of the population (88% of the electorate) voted in favor of a new national Constitution, the fundamental legislation for the social, democratic and rule of law state that Spain had become and still is today.
Nevertheless, the holiday itself – Constitution Day – appeared in the calendar only in 1983 after the Royal Decree 2964/1983 was issued on November 30 of that year.
Constitution Day is a day off throughout the country. And since December 8 marks another holiday no less important for Spaniards, but this time religious, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary (the names of women named Inmaculada and Concepcion) – December 7, the authorities usually declare “puente” (that is, also a non-working day). This year, the three holidays are followed by a weekend, which means that workers and students in Spain at the beginning of December will have a five-day vacation.