25 Years of Andorra's Constitution

The 'Monument to the Men and Women of Andorra Who Brought the Constitution into Being', which stands in the square of the Andorran parliament (Consell General). The monument depicts the silhouettes of a man and a woman, recalling the will expressed by Andorra in the referendum of 14 March 1993 to become a democratic and social state governed by the rule of law, as enshrined in Article 1 of the Constitution. On the right side of the monument, the inner ring bears a map of Andorra with the Latin motto 'VIRTVS VNITA FORTIOR' (United virtue is stronger) — the national motto of the Principality. Surrounding the image, the inscription '25è ANIVERSARI DE LA CONSTITUCIÓ 1993-2018' and the country name 'ANDORRA'.

For Andorra, 1993 marked a historic turning point: with the adoption of its first modern constitution in the referendum of 14 March 1993, the principality transformed from a medieval co-principality under the French head of state and the Bishop of Urgell into a parliamentary, democratic state under the rule of law. The constitution enshrined fundamental rights for the first time, created an independent judiciary and defined the role of the Consell General - Andorra's parliament - as the central legislative body. This step ended a centuries-old order dating back to 1278, without breaking with it: the co-principality was retained as a symbolic institution, now embedded within a modern democratic system.

Andorra's constitution is considered one of the most striking examples of peaceful institutional change in Europe: without breaking with its own history, the small state between France and Spain rewrote its political foundations. The document also laid the basis for Andorra's international integration - including its accession to the UN that same year, 1993, and later agreements with the European Union. The 25th anniversary of the constitution, marked by Andorra in 2018, honours this process as a collective achievement of the Andorran people and their political representatives.