Spanish Draft Constitution of 1856

Last updated January 27, 2026

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The Spanish Constitution of 1856, also known as the "unborn (non nata)", was an unsuccessful attempt to reform the political system during the reign of Isabella II. Although it was passed by the Cortes, it was never implemented due to the "counterrevolutionary coup" of General Leopoldo O'Donnell that ended the bienio progresista .^[1]

As a consequence of enacting an illegal constitution, Queen Isabella II decreed the closure of the constituent assembly elected in 1854. The document was therefore officially declared merely a failed draft project although technically it was a valid constitution.

It is important as it collected together the ideas of progressive liberal ideology and anticipated some of the ideas developed later by the Spanish Constitution of 1869 which ended the autocratic monarchy of Isabella and put the more democratic Amadeo I of Spain on the throne.

References

↑ Fontana, Josep (2007). La época del liberalismo. Vol. 6 of Historia de España (in Spanish). Critica/Marcial Pons. pp. 273, 277, 283–287. ISBN 978-84-8432-876-6.

v t e Constitutions of Spain
Bayonne Statute of 1808 Constitution of 1812 Royal Statute of 1834 Constitution of 1837 Constitution of 1845 Constitution of 1869 Constitution of 1876 Constitution of 1931 Fundamental Laws of the Realm (1938–1977) Constitution of 1978 Unadopted draft constitutions: Draft Constitution of 1856 Draft Constitution of 1873

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