Preamble
The Spanish Nation, desiring to establish justice, liberty, and security, and to promote the well-being of all its members, in the exercise of its sovereignty proclaims its will to: guarantee democratic coexistence within the Constitution and the laws in accordance with a just economic and social order;
consolidate a state of law which insures the rule of law as the expression of the popular will;
protect all Spaniards and peoples of Spain in the exercise of human rights, their cultures and traditions, languages, and institutions;
promote the progress of culture and the economy to insure a dignified quality of life for all;
establish an advanced democratic society; and
collaborate in the strengthening of peaceful relations and effective cooperation among all the peoples of the earth.
Therefore, the Parliament approves, and the Spanish people ratify the following Constitution:
Title 0 Preliminary Title
Article 1:
State Principles, Sovereignty, Form Spain constitutes itself into a social and democratic state of law which advocates liberty, justice, equality, and political pluralism as the superior values of its legal order.
National sovereignty belongs to the Spanish people from whom emanate the powers of the state.
The political form of the Spanish State is the parliamentary Monarchy.
Article 2:
National Unity, Regional Autonomy The Constitution is based on the indissoluble unity of the Spanish nation, the common and indivisible homeland of all Spaniards, and recognizes and guarantees the right to autonomy of the nationalities and regions which make it up and the solidarity among all of them.
Article 3:
Official Language 1. Castilian is the official Spanish language of the state. All Spaniards have the duty to know it and the right to use it.
2. The other languages of Spain will also be official in the respective autonomous communities, in accordance with their Statutes.
3. The richness of the linguistic modalities of Spain is a cultural patrimony which will be the object of special respect and protection.
Article 4:
Flag 1. The Spanish flag is formed by three horizontal stripes: red, yellow, and red, with the yellow stripe being twice as wide as each of the red stripes.
2. Recognition of flags and ensigns of the autonomous communities is admissible by law. These will be used beside the flag of Spain on their public buildings and in their official acts.
Article 5:
Capital Madrid The capital of the State is the city of Madrid.
Article 6:
Political Parties Political parties express democratic pluralism, assist in the formulation and manifestation of the popular will, and are a basic instrument for political participation. Their creation and the exercise of their activity are free within the observance of the Constitution and the laws. Their internal structure and operation must be democratic.
Article 7:
Unions Worker unions and associations of employers contribute to the defense and promotion of their own economic and social interests. Their creation and the exercise of their activity are free within the observance of the Constitution and the laws. Their internal structure and operation must be democratic.
Article 8:
Armed Forces 1. The Armed Forces, constituting the Land Army, the Navy and the Air Force, have as their mission the guarantee of the sovereignty and independence of Spain, the defense of its territorial integrity and the constitutional order.
An organic law will regulate the bases of the military organization in conformity with the principles of the present Constitution.
Article 9:
Rule of Law 1. The citizens and public powers are subject to the Constitution and the legal order.
2. It is the responsibility of the public powers to promote conditions so that liberty and equality of the individual and the groups he joins will be real and effective; to remove those obstacles which impede or make difficult their full implementation, and to facilitate participation of all citizens in the political, economic, cultural, and social life.
3. The Constitution guarantees the principle of legality, the normative order, the publication of the norms, the non-retroactivity of punitive provisions which are not favorable to, or which restrict individual rights, legal security, and the interdiction of arbitrariness of public powers.
