The Constitution
of Norway
was
first adopted on 16 May and subsequently signed and dated on 17 May 1814 by the
Norwegian Constituent Assembly at Eidsvoll. It was at the time
considered to be one of the most liberal or radically democratic constitutions
in the world, and it is today the second oldest single-document national
constitution in Europe after the Constitution of Poland (May 3,
1791) and second oldest in the world, still in continuous force as the
Polish May 3rd Constitution survived for less than 2 years. 17 May is the National Day of
Norway.
During
May 2014 the Storting passed the most substantial changes since 1814,
particularly by including paragraphs on human rights.
May 17,
the date of the signing of the constitution, is celebrated as Norwegian
Constitution Day with the school children's flag parades. In the
capital Oslo, the parade passes the Royal Palace where thousands of
schoolchildren wave to the King and Queen. A notable feature of the Norwegian
Constitution Day celebration is the virtual absence of any military parades,
the day being almost wholly a civilian celebration.
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