On 6 December 1978, the current Spanish Constitution was approved by 87.78% of the Spanish people. It was a historic referendum, marking the end of the Franco regime, which had been in place since the end of the Spanish Civil War in 1939. On 27 December of the same year, the then King Juan Carlos I sanctioned the final text of the Magna Carta, which was published in the Official State Gazette on 29 December.
Since then, the Congress of Deputies has held an open day every year, with guided tours, so that all those interested can get to know the building where the elected representatives of the people work. The Congress of Deputies is just a few metres away from TANDEM Madrid and our students have had the opportunity to visit the Congress of Deputies and learn a little about the history of Spain, and even sit in the armchairs used by the deputies in the hemicycle! The day on which this open day is held is fixed according to the calendar of the Congress itself, so that the visits do not interfere with parliamentary activity.
In 2016, the conference will be held on 2 and 3 December. Some TANDEM Madrid students, as part of our programme of Spanish classes and immersion in Spanish culture, wanted to get to know this important place first hand, and feel for a few minutes like the people who decide every day on the fate of millions of Spaniards.
