Constitution of Denmark

Constitutional Act of the Realm of Denmark
Front page of the first constitution from 1849
Overview
Original title	Danmarks Riges Grundlov
Jurisdiction	Denmark, incl. Greenland and the Faroe Islands
Ratified	25 May 1849 (first) 28 May 1953 (current)
Date effective	5 June 1849 (first) 5 June 1953 (current)
System	Constitutional monarchy
Government structure
Branches	Three (executive, legislature and judiciary)
Head of state	Monarch of Denmark
Chambers	Unicameral (Folketing)
Executive	Cabinet responsible to parliament
Judiciary	Supreme Court and others
Author(s)	Constitutional Assembly of the Realm
Signatories	Frederik VII (first) Frederik IX (current)
Supersedes	King's Law (Lex Regia)
Full text
Constitution of Denmark at Wikisource
Danmarks Riges Grundlov at Danish Wikisource

Politics of Denmark
Constitution Fundamental laws Act of Succession Freedom of Speech Freedom of the Press
The Crown Monarch Frederik X Crown Prince Christian Royal family Privy Council Purveyors to the Royal Court
The unity of the Realm Denmark proper Faroe Islands Greenland
Executive Government Frederiksen II Prime Minister (list) Mette Frederiksen Government Offices Ministries High Commissioners Faroe Islands Greenland
Legislature Folketinget (parliament) Speaker: Søren Gade Members
Judiciary Supreme Court of Denmark Courts of Denmark Court of the Faroe Islands Courts of Greenland Judicial review
Elections Political parties: Denmark Faroe Islands Greenland Recent elections Parliamentary: 2022 2019 2015 European: 2019 2014 2009 Referendums
Administrative divisions Denmark proper Regions Municipalities Constituencies Faroe Islands Subdivisions of the Faroe Islands Greenland Subdivisions of Greenland
Foreign relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs Minister: Lars Løkke Rasmussen Diplomatic missions of / to the Kingdom Nationality law Passport Visa requirements Visa policy Arctic policy of the Kingdom Politics of the European Union Arctic policy of the EU Denmark and the EU Faroe Islands and the EU Greenland and the EU
Related topics Arctic Command Defence Command Politics of the Faroe Islands Politics of Greenland Unitarism Home rule Self rule
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The Constitutional Act of the Realm of Denmark (Danish: Danmarks Riges Grundlov), also known as the Constitutional Act of the Kingdom of Denmark, or simply the Constitution (Danish: Grundloven, Faroese: Grundlógin, Greenlandic: Tunngaviusumik inatsit), is the constitution of the Kingdom of Denmark, applying equally in the Realm of Denmark: Denmark proper, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. The first democratic constitution was adopted in 1849, replacing the 1665 absolutist constitution. The current constitution is from 1953. The Constitutional Act has been changed a few times. The wording is general enough to still apply today.^[1]

The constitution defines Denmark as a constitutional monarchy, governed through a parliamentary system. It creates separations of power between the Folketing, which enact laws, the government, which implements them, and the courts, which makes judgment about them. In addition it gives a number of fundamental rights to people in Denmark, including freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of association, and freedom of assembly. The constitution applies to all persons in Denmark, not just Danish citizens.^[2]

Its adoption in 1849 ended an absolute monarchy and introduced democracy. Denmark celebrates the adoption of the Constitution on 5 June—the date in which the first Constitution was ratified—every year as Constitution Day (Danish: Grundlovsdag).

The main principle of the Constitutional Act was to limit the King's power (section 2).^[3] It creates a comparatively weak constitutional monarch who is dependent on Ministers for advice and Parliament to draft and pass legislation. The Constitution of 1849 established a bicameral parliament, the Rigsdag, consisting of the Landsting and the Folketing. The most significant change in the Constitution of 1953 was the abolishment of the Landsting, leaving the unicameral Folketing. It also enshrined fundamental civil rights, which remain in the current constitution: such as habeas corpus (section 71), private property rights (section 72) and freedom of speech (section 77).^[3]

The Danish Parliament (Folketinget) cannot make any laws which may be repugnant or contrary to the Constitutional Act. While Denmark has no constitutional court, laws can be declared unconstitutional and rendered void by the Supreme Court of Denmark.

Changes to the Act must be passed by the Folketing in two consecutive parliamentary terms and then approved by the electorate through a national referendum.^[4]