CONSTITUTION DAY

It is often said that the U.K. doesn't have a constitution. In fact it does; though unlike most countries, it doesn't have it in written form in one document. The British constitution is a mix of statute, case law and custom. As such, it can sometimes seem a bit impenetrable.

However, what is undoubtedly true is that us Brits don't think of the constitution as a holy relic in the same way as the Americans or Danes do. In the latter's case, they have had a Grundlov ("basic law"), since 5 June 1849, when the king of the day, Frederik VII, gave up his absolute powers and turned his country into a constitutional monarchy. The Grundlov has been amended since then, but not often; in 1866, 1915, 1920 and 1953. In the last set of changes, Parliament was reduced from two chambers to one; the rules of succession were changed so that women could succeed, thereby allowing Margrethe II to become queen later; Greenland's status was changed from a colony to an administrative region of Denmark, with its people becoming Danish citizens; and the voting age was reduced to 23 (since reduced, by way of ordinary statute, to 18).

The 5 June signing day has a special significance, and has entered Danish life as Grundlovsdag. However, nobody is quite sure what sort of day it is. It's a full holiday for some, a half holiday for others, and nothing for others still. Perhaps the only thing that is certain about it is that politicians take the opportunity to pontificate. As they did again yesterday, in spades.

Walter Blotscher