The first Portuguese Constitution was drafted in 1822. Several revolutions led to the constitutions of 1826, 1838, 1911, 1933 and 1976.
The current Portuguese Constitution dates from 1976, replacing the previous constitution of 1933 which defined Portugal as a corporative, single party and multi-continental country. The new constitution was created in the aftermath of the Carnation Revolution of 1974, and radically changed the doctrine and the rules of the Portuguese Republic. The most important changes were:
- The set-up of a parliamentary, multiparty democracy
- The redefinition of the Portuguese territories to exclude the former colonies
- The creation of a groundwork for a socialist economy
The last was substantially amended in the following years, with little (if anything) remaining of the provisions relating to Socialism.
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