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The Diário da República (Official Journal of the Portuguese Republic) celebrates its 40th anniversary

April 11, 2016

The Diário da República (Official Journal) appeared for the first time on 10th April 1976, the date on which the decree was published that approved the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, on 2nd April that year, signed by the President, Francisco da Costa Gomes.

According to the office of the Secretary of State of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, the Diário da República's link to the Constitution of 1976 «was a symbolic fact», as it «inaugurated a constitutional period committed to the Rule of Law and to the idea that the citizens are direct holders of national sovereignty and the fundamental right to legal security and to knowledge of the Law in force».

The origin of the official gazette dates back to 1715, when the Gazeta de Lisboa (Lisbon Gazette), began to be published, adopting the name Diário do Governo (Government Daily), for the first time in 1821, followed by a troubled period in which it had various names: Diário da Regência (Regency Daily), Diário do Governo (Government Daily), Gazeta de Lisboa (Lisbon Gazette), Crónica Constitucional de Lisboa (Lisbon Constitutional Chronicle), Crónica de Lisboa (Lisbon Chronicle), Gazeta Oficial do Governo (Government Official Gazette), Gazeta do Governo (Government Gazette), Diário de Lisboa (Lisbon Daily). As from 1st January 1869, it was once again called Diário do Governo (Government Gazette), the name it maintained until 9th April 1976.