Constitution Day () is observed in

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

on 5 June. The day honors the

Constitution of Denmark The Constitutional Act of the Realm of Denmark ( da, Danmarks Riges Grundlov), also known as the Constitutional Act of the Kingdom of Denmark, or simply the Constitution ( da, Grundloven, fo, Grundlógin, kl, Tunngaviusumik inatsit), is the c ...

, as both the first constitution of 1849 and the current constitution of 1953 were signed on this date of their respective years.Constitution Day
– Denmark.dk, the official website of Denmark. Retrieved 6 February 2012. Denmark is one of only a handful countries in the world not to have an official national day, but Constitution Day is sometimes considered the equivalent of such a day. It is also widely considered to be a day for celebrating Danish democracy. Though it has never been an official national holiday, Constitution Day was a half-day off work from 1891 until 1975. Since then, collective labor agreements have usually given workers a half-day or the whole day off on Constitution Day. Stores with an annual turnover of at most 34.9 million kroner can stay open on Constitution Day, but all other stores must keep closed. The day is widely celebrated throughout Denmark with church congregations, associations and political organizations meeting for what are essentially "secular

services Service may refer to: Activities * Administrative service, a required part of the workload of university faculty * Civil service, the body of employees of a government * Community service, volunteer service for the benefit of a community or a p ...

". These services include the raising of the Dannebrog (the Danish flag), a short speech by a local politician or celebrity, and collective singing ().

The date

Following the

Danish Constituent Assembly The Danish Constituent Assembly () is the name given to the 1848 Constitutional assembly at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen that approved the Danish Constitution and formalized the transition from absolute monarchy to constitutional democrac ...

of 1848 and 1849, the first constitution (which established Denmark as a

constitutional monarchy A constitutional monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in decision making. Constitutional monarchies dif ...

) was signed by King Frederick VII on 5 June 1849. The constitution was completely rewritten in 1866, 1915 (when

women's suffrage Women's suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to grant women the right to vot ...

was introduced), and most recently in 1953, the latter two rewritings also on 5 June. 5 June is also

Father's Day Father's Day is a holiday of honoring fatherhood and paternal bonds, as well as the influence of fathers in society. In Catholic countries of Europe, it has been celebrated on 19 March as Saint Joseph's Day since the Middle Ages. In the Unite ...

in Denmark. It was introduced in 1935, and until 1956 it fell on the second Sunday of November. Father's Day was later moved to its current date since Constitution Day was a half-day off work.historie-online.dk: Fars Dag, historien bag og kvinden, som opfandt dagen
(in Danish)

References

{{reflist, 30em Danish culture June observances National days

Public holidays in Denmark

The date

See also

References