December 6, 1919, was the first year Finland celebrated its Declaration of Independence with a national holiday. That same year it also adopted the Constitution of 1919 officially making Finland a Republic with K.J. Stahlberg as its first president. This post describes the Constitution of 1919.
On this day 170 years ago, the Danish King Frederik VII signed the Danish Constitution of 1849, creating a constitutional monarchy. Thus, today marks Grundlovsdagen (Constitution Day). Although a national and bank holiday, the day is not such a grand affair as Constitution Day of Norway. This year may be different, though, as Denmark holds its …
The following is a guest post by Eva Dauke, a foreign law intern working with Foreign Law Specialist Jenny Gesley at the Global Legal Research Directorate of the Law Library of Congress. Every year, on May 23, Germany celebrates the “Day of the Basic Law.” The Basic Law is Germany’s constitution, which lays out the country’s fundamental rights, among …
A few weeks ago, on June 6, Swedes celebrated their national day, in remembrance of both Gustav Vasa being elected king on this date in 1523 and the adoption of the Constitution of 1809, establishing the constitutional monarchy. If you ask a Swede, however, it seems an even bigger celebration is actually Midsommarafton (Midsummer’s Eve), …
Today, June 6, Sweden celebrates 500 years as an independent nation. On June 6, 1523, Gustav Eriksson Vasa was elected king of Sweden at the assembly (riksmötet) in Strängsnäs, officially uniting Sweden under one king and ending forever the Kalmar Union that tied Denmark, Norway, and Sweden (including Finland) together under one monarch. …
Today, January 14, 2022, the Danish Queen Margarethe II (Margrethe Alexandrine Þorhildur Ingrid) celebrates 50 years on the Danish throne. However, she was not born the heir apparent to the throne, but became Crown Princess of Denmark at the age of 13 when the Danish Parliament adopted an act of succession (Tronfølgelov) that allowed daughters to …
Forty years ago today, on February 4, 1981, Gro Harlem Brundtland became Norway’s first female prime minister (PM). Erna Solberg, Norway’s current PM, became the second woman to serve as PM when she was elected to this role following the 2013 national election. Norwegian Women’s Suffrage 2019 marked the centennial of women’s suffrage in the …