The Spanish constitution was drawn up by the constituent Cortes, mainly made up of socialists and liberals, and was finally agreed in December 1931. It established Spain as a democratic republic - universal suffrage was introduced and greater protection of rights and liberties were enshrined into law. However, the constitution sparked controversy and outrage amongst the right in Spain as it contained anti-clerical measures which sought to restrict the power of the Catholic Church. For example, Article 3 stated that the Spanish state had no official religion and Article 44 gave the government the right to take away Church property. Many saw the constitution as a refreshing break from the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera, others viewed it as an attack on Spain's traditional institutions.