On 6 December, Spain celebrates its most important holiday, Constitution Day

This is one of the most important days in the Spanish calendar. On 6 December, the country pauses to celebrate the moment when modern democracy was born. Constitution Day reminds us of the freedom, unity and compromise that united Spaniards across divisions almost 50 years ago.

Spanish celebration of democracy

Constitution Day(Día de la Constitución) is celebrated across Spain on 6 December. The holiday commemorates the 1978 referendum in which the people of the country approved the text of a new constitution. The event marked the culmination of a several-year process of transition(Transición), or peaceful transition from the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco to democracy – initiated after his death in 1975 and continued with the first free elections in 1977.

The referendum of 6 December 1978 was characterised by a high turnout. More than 17 million voters went to the polls, or about 67 per cent of those eligible, and about 88.5 per cent of those taking part in the vote voted in favour of the Basic Law. In every region, a majority of voters supported the constitution, a clear signal of support for change.

Work on the Basic Law was led by a group of seven MPs, representing different political forces in the country. The so-called Padres de la Constitución include: Gabriel Cisneros, José Pedro Pérez-Llorca, Miguel Herrero de Miñón, Gregorio Peces-Barba, Jordi Solé Tura, Manuel Fraga Iribarne and Miquel Roca. The text of the constitution was adopted by theCortes Generales in Cadiz on 31 October 1978, then ratified by referendum on 6 December and signed by King Juan Carlos I on 27 December, and came into force on 29 December. The law introduced a system of parliamentary monarchy with separation of powers, guarantees of citizens’ rights, recognition of regional languages and the status of autonomous communities.

Official celebrations for Constitution Day

The centrepiece of Spain’s Constitution Day celebrations is the ceremony to raise the national flag in the Plaza de Colón in Madrid. Since 2001, one of Spain’s largest flags – a red and yellow sheet measuring 21×14 m, with an area of 294 m² and weighing approximately 35-38 kg – has flown in the square. The flagpole is 50 m high and hoisting the flag onto it requires the cooperation of several people.

The ceremony is led by the presidents of the Congress of Deputies and the Senate, and attended by the commanders of the armed forces, a military band, representatives of the government and various political groups, as well as the flag posts of the police and the Civil Guard. The ceremony takes place at 10 a.m. and is broadcast on public media. After the raising of the flag, the military band plays the national anthem. The flag in the square is solemnly raised several times a year: 15 May (feast of San Isidro), 19 June (anniversary of the King’s coronation), 12 July (anniversary of the establishment of the Constitutional Court) and 6 December, Constitution Day.

The second key event is the ceremonial session at the Congress of Deputies in the Cortes Palace in Madrid. On this occasion, the parliament opens its doors to the public – you can visit the meeting room and selected students read extracts from the constitution. The ceremony is attended by the King, the Prime Minister, parliamentarians, presidents of the autonomous communities and representatives of state institutions.

Local authorities across Spain are organising their celebrations, national flags are being flown on public and private buildings, and schools and universities are preparing lessons and workshops on the Constitution and democracy.

The reform of the constitution in Spain and its significance

Spain’s 1978 Constitution is one of the broadest in Europe (169 articles) and is characterised by stability – it has only been amended three times until 2024. The first reform in 1992 clarified Article 13.2, allowing citizens of the European Union to participate in municipal elections, and the second, in 2011. – added provisions on budgetary discipline to Article 135.

The third amendment, passed in January 2024, amended Article 49 – removing the outdated term 'persons with disabilities’ and replacing it with 'persons with disabilities’ and committing the state to promoting their autonomy and inclusion.

Puente de Diciembre – long December weekend

In 1983, the Spanish government adopted Royal Decree 2964/1983, which established 6 December as a public holiday – commemorating the constitutional referendum. Since then, Constitution Day in Spain has been a national holiday.

Constitution Day is almost always combined with another important holiday – the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary – celebrated on 8 December. The result is the so-called Puente de Diciembre (’December bridge’), or long weekend. When one of these days falls in the middle of the week, the authorities often declare a puente, or extra day off, so that Spaniards can enjoy a four-day break.

In 2025. Constitution Day will fall on Saturday, 6 December, and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on Monday, 8 December. The official holiday calendar confirms that both days will be public holidays. The long weekend is usually a time for family gatherings, tourist trips, visits to Christmas markets and preparations for the festive season.

The nature of Constitution Day and contemporary disputes

Constitution Day is first and foremost a community day, reminding us of the achievements of the democratic transition, citizens’ rights and values – such as freedom, equality, justice and political pluralism.

However, the holiday is also an occasion for social and political demonstrations, with some parties and groups boycotting official ceremonies and using the day to make demands for constitutional reform.

However, more than 45 years after the referendum, Constitution Day remains a symbol of national unity and democracy. For a generation that does not remember the Franco era, it provides an opportunity to learn about history and reflect on the value of freedom and civil rights. The adoption of the 1978 Constitution enabled Spain to enter European structures, to develop economically and socially and to decentralise through the development of autonomous communities.