December 6th: Constitution Day (Dia de la Constitucion)

Dia de la Constitucion (Constitution Day) is celebrated on December 6^th every year to commemorate the day in 1978 when Spain became a democracy.

After the dictator Francisco Franco died in 1975, a general election was held in 1977 and this resulted in the sitting of the Constituent Cortes (the Spanish Parliament, in its capacity as a constitutional assembly) for the purpose of drafting and approving a new constitution. The constitution was approved and was also accepted by the Spanish people in a referendum in 1978 and Constitution Day has since been celebrated as a national holiday on 6th December in Spain.

Since 1978 the constitution of Spain has only been amended once in order to enable the citizens of other European Union countries living in Spain the right to vote for candidates in local elections, as well as run for office themselves.

Despite the fact that nowadays not too many people in Spain participate in the celebration of Constitution Day, the majority of the Spanish reminisce about the 1978 referendum and are truly proud of their constitution.

Constitution Day in Spain is a national holiday and a day off and as it is such a festive occasion, the Congress of Deputies organizes an open doors day which means that everyone can visit the lower house of the Spanish parliament if they wish to do so.