The Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, explained

Portugal's current Constitution was approved on 2 April 1976 and came into force on 25 April 1976 — exactly two years after the revolution that ended the dictatorship. It has been revised seven times since, the last time in 2005, but it is still the same document: 296 articles, in force for half a century.

If you are preparing for the citizenship test, this is the text behind two of the five subjects the law lists: fundamental rights and duties, and how the State is organised. Our overview of the 2026 citizenship test covers all five. This page does something most study material skips: it introduces the Constitution itself — how it is laid out, what each revision changed, and how to read a reference like «artigo 11.º, n.º 2» without getting lost.

Why do so many people get the year wrong?

In our free demo quiz, about half the people asked when the Constitution was approved choose the wrong answer, and the likeliest trap is 1974. That is the year of the Carnation Revolution, and the Constitution's preamble opens with it — so the date sticks. But the revolution came first; the Constitution was written afterwards by the Constituent Assembly. Its own final article settles both dates: approved on 2 April 1976, in force from 25 April 1976.

So: «approved» means 2 April, «came into force» means 25 April, and both are 1976. If you want to see the other questions people trip on most, read the hardest questions in our practice quiz.

How is the Portuguese Constitution laid out?

Think of it as a building with a lobby and four floors. The lobby (fundamental principles) says what Portugal is: a sovereign republic, a democratic state under the rule of law, with a flag, an anthem and an official language. The floors then go from the individual to the State:

Part III is by far the largest — ten titles, running from general principles through the President, Parliament, Government and courts to national defence. If your time is limited, start with Part III and Part I. We cover them one at a time in how the Portuguese State is organised and rights and duties.

Does it really still mention socialism?

Yes — in the preamble. The text in force still records the Constituent Assembly's decision to «abrir caminho para uma sociedade socialista» (open the way to a socialist society). Newcomers reading it for the first time are often startled, especially if they come from a country where that phrase would mean something very specific.

The context helps. According to Parliament's own account, the 1976 text reflected the revolutionary period: it enshrined a transition to socialism based on nationalising the main means of production, and it kept the military in political power through a body called the Council of the Revolution. The revisions dismantled that, article by article. The preamble stayed as a record of the moment; the rules that actually govern Portugal are in the articles, and those describe a mixed economy and a pluralist democracy.

What did each of the seven revisions change?

Each revision is a constitutional law passed by the Assembleia da República. You will not be asked for the law numbers. Knowing the order, and one line for each, is enough to understand why today's Constitution reads so differently from the 1976 original.

1. 1982

   Toned down the ideological language, loosened the economic system, abolished the Council of the Revolution and created the Constitutional Court.
2. 1989

   Opened the economy further, ending the rule that the nationalisations made after 25 April 1974 could never be reversed.
3. 1992

   Adapted the text to the Maastricht Treaty.
4. 1997

   Adapted it to the Amsterdam Treaty.
5. 2001

   Allowed Portugal to ratify the International Criminal Court treaty and changed the extradition rules.
6. 2004

   More autonomy for the Azores and Madeira, term limits for executive office, and sexual orientation added to the ban on discrimination.
7. 2005

   Added an article allowing a referendum on a European Union treaty.

Between them, the 1992 and 1997 revisions also dealt with foreign residents' voting rights and gave citizens the right to propose legislation. Notice how often Europe appears. If you came to Portugal from outside the EU, the page on Portugal in the European Union explains what that membership means in constitutional terms. Parliament also lists a revision process opened in 2010 that was never completed, which is why the count stays at seven.

Who can amend it?

Only Parliament, and under tighter rules than for any ordinary law. Proposals come from members of Parliament. A regular revision can only start five years after the previous one; to act sooner, Parliament needs four-fifths of its members. Each change needs a two-thirds majority, all approved changes are bundled into one revision law, and the President cannot refuse to sign it.

Two further brakes: no revision may take place during a state of siege or emergency, and a list of core principles — the republican form of government, independent courts, the autonomy of the Azores and Madeira, among others — is off-limits to any revision at all.

How do you read a reference like «artigo 11.º, n.º 2»?

Portuguese legal references go down three levels. The artigo (article) is the main unit; «11.º» is read «décimo primeiro», an ordinal. Inside it, each n.º (número) is a numbered paragraph. Inside a paragraph, an alínea is a lettered point: a), b), c).

Take article 11, titled «Símbolos nacionais e língua oficial». Its first paragraph is about the flag; the second says «O Hino Nacional é A Portuguesa» (the national anthem is A Portuguesa); the third, «A língua oficial é o Português». Three common test questions, three lines of the Constitution. Reading the article itself beats any summary — and it is short.

Where can I read the current text?

Two free, reliable places, both in Portuguese. The Assembleia da República's page has the text as it stands after the seventh revision. The Lisbon Prosecutor's Office legal database adds something useful for learners: under each article, it lists the revisions that changed it. The equality article, for instance, was touched only once, in 2004.

Be wary of old PDFs and English translations found online. A version older than 2004 still refers to a «Ministro da República» for the islands — a post that no longer exists — and a translation can lag behind the text in force.

What to know before the test

You do not need to read all 296 articles. Make sure you can say:

• The two 1976 dates, and which is which.
• The four Parts in order, and which one covers political power.
• How many revisions there have been, and what 1982 and 1989 changed.
• Who can amend the Constitution, and by what majority.
• What the national symbols article says, paragraph by paragraph.

For a quick recap, go through the history study cards and the State organisation cards. Then take the free practice quiz and check that 1976 now comes to you first time.