​Republic Day 2025: 5 popular countries without a constitution​

On January 26, 2025, India will celebrate its 76th Republic Day, commemorating the adoption of its Constitution in 1950. Republic Day serves as a reminder of the vital role a constitution plays in defining the structure, principles, and functioning of a nation. Every country is governed by rules and regulations that serve as the supreme guiding framework. These foundational principles are typically enshrined in a written constitution, which provides clarity and consistency for governance. However, not all countries have a codified or written constitution. Despite this, the countries function effectively through alternative frameworks, often rooted in historical traditions, legal precedents, or uncodified agreements. 5 countries in the world have no written constitution. Let us find out about them.

The United Kingdom is often said to have an "unwritten constitution" because its fundamental laws and governing principles are not contained within a codified document like many other countries. Instead, they are spread across various sources like Acts of Parliament, court rulings, and long-standing political conventions, meaning there is no one place to find the complete set of constitutional rules.

Similarly, New Zealand has no single codified document and consists of several documents, including the Constitution Act of 1986, Acts of Parliament, and court decisions. According to experts, such a framework allows for a more adaptable and evolving legal framework.

Saudi Arabia, instead of the written framework, relies on the Islamic holy book, the Quran, and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (Sunnah), with the "Basic Law of Governance" issued by the King in 1992 as a guideline. There is no single written constitution, and the legal system is supplemented by royal decrees.

Israel was established in 1948, and it was decided by the people that the constitution would be framed within 5 months. However, the people entrusted to create the constitution failed to come to a consensus, and thus Israel has now gone 75 years without a written constitution. Still, the country’s broad rules are written under a series of Basic Laws—quasi-constitutional laws that had been intended as the basis for the eventual constitution.

Canada has both written and unwritten elements in its constitution. The written parts of the constitution include the Constitution Act of 1867 and the Constitution Act of 1982. The unwritten parts include Conventions, which are rules that govern how the Constitution is applied in practice.