San Marino's constitution dates from 1600 - the oldest still in force
A tiny republic on an Italian mountaintop has been governed by the same written statutes for more than four centuries.
The Republic of San Marino traces its constitution to the Statutes of 1600 (the Leges Statutae Republicae Sancti Marini), a compilation in six books of Latin that codified rules of government and justice already developing since the 13th century. Britannica notes that the San Marino constitution “originating from the Statutes of 1600 provides for a parliamentary form of government.”
Those statutes remain in effect today, making them the oldest written constitutional document still in force in any sovereign state.
The system they describe still runs the country. Two Captains Regent, chosen every six months, jointly serve as heads of state, while a Great and General Council of 60 elected members makes the laws. San Marino, founded by tradition in 301 CE, is also widely called the world’s oldest surviving republic.
Sources & references
2 referencesWell-established. Corroborated by 2 independent sources.
