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Spain GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
National Government: Parliamentary monarchy with
hereditary constitutional monarch as head of state. Under 1978
Constitution, power centered in bicameral legislature--the Cortes
(comprising lower house, Congress of Deputies, and upper house,
Senate). Both houses elected by universal suffrage every four
years (unless parliament dissolved earlier by head of state), but
350-member Congress of Deputies uses proportional representation
system, whereas Senate contains 208 members elected directly as
well as 49 regional representatives. Congress of Deputies wields
greater legislative power. Leader of dominant political party in
Cortes designated prime minister and serves as head of
government. Prime minister, deputy prime minister, and cabinet
ministers together make up Council of Ministers, highest national
executive institution with both policy-making and administrative
functions. Constitution also establishes independent judiciary.
Judicial system headed by Supreme Court. Also includes
territorial courts, regional courts, provincial courts, courts of
first instance, and municipal courts. Constitutional Court
resolves constitutional questions. Twenty-member General Council
of the Judiciary appoints judges and maintains ethical standards
within legal profession. Constitution also provides for public
prosecutor and public defender to protect both rule of law and
rights of citizens. In 1980s legal system plagued by severe
shortage of funds, which resulted in persistent delays in
bringing cases to trial. Major revision of Penal Code under way
in late 1980s. Government staffed by professional civil service,
traditionally inefficient and cumbersome. Attempts to reform and
to streamline it under way since 1982 but not fully successful.
Regional Government: Traditionally rigidly
centralized, unitary state; however, 1978 Constitution recognizes
and guarantees right to autonomy of nationalities and regions of
which state is composed. In late 1980s, national territory
divided among seventeen autonomous communities, each encompassing
one or more previously existing provinces. Each autonomous
community governed by statute of autonomy providing for
unicameral legislative assembly elected by universal suffrage.
Assembly members select president from their ranks. Executive and
administrative power exercised by Council of Government, headed
by president and responsible to assembly. Division of powers
between central government and autonomous communities imprecise
and ambiguous in late 1980s, but state had ultimate
responsibility for financial matters and so could exercise a
significant degree of control over autonomous community
activities. Another means of control provided by presence in each
region of central government delegate appointed by Council of
Ministers to monitor regional activities. Provincial government
remained centralized in late 1980s. Headed by civil governors
appointed by prime minister, usually political appointees.
Provincial government administered by provincial council elected
from among subordinate municipal council members and headed by
president. Special provisions for Basque provinces, singleprovince autonomous communities, and Balearic and Canary Islands,
as well as North African enclaves.
National Politics: Following death of Francisco
Franco y Bahamonde in November 1975, King Juan Carlos de Borbon
engineered transition to democracy that resulted in
transformation of dictatorial regime into pluralistic,
parliamentary democracy. Prior to advent of participatory
democracy, little political involvement by citizens. Under
Franco, Spanish society essentially depoliticized. But after
forty years without elections, parties revived and proliferated
in months following Franco's death. In elections of June 1977,
party receiving largest number of votes was Union of the
Democratic Center (Union de Centro Democratico--UCD), a centrist
coalition led by Adolfo Suarez Gonzalez. Leading opposition party
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (Partido Socialista Obrero
Espanol--PSOE) led by Felipe Gonzalez Marquez. Country
increasingly disillusioned, however, by UCD government. UCD,
essentially a pragmatic electoral coalition, never developed
coherent political program. Its brief success due almost entirely
to charisma of Suarez. In October 1982 elections, PSOE registered
a sweeping victory. Role of opposition party went to conservative
Popular Alliance (Alianza Popular--AP). PSOE able to form first
majority one-party government since Civil War. Popularity of
Socialist government confirmed in May 1983 municipal and regional
elections. PSOE adopted generally pragmatic rather than
ideological approach to pressing economic problems. Also
undertook military and educational reforms, attempted to resolve
problem of Basque terrorism, and sought to develop more active
international role for Spain. Gonzalez called for early elections
in June 1986, and, although losing some seats, PSOE retained
control of Cortes. Official opposition embodied in Popular
Coalition (Coalicion Popular--CP), which included AP, Popular
Democratic Party (Partido Democrata Popular--PDP), and Liberal
Party (Partido Liberal--PL). But 1986 elections also saw
significant support for Democratic and Social Center (Centro
Democratico y Social--CDS) under Suarez. Many observers believed
CDS had potential to develop into major opposition party, given
disarray at ends of political spectrum and growing move of party
politics to center. After 1986 elections, Socialists faced
increasing popular discontent, and polls indicated decline in
confidence in Gonzalez.
Regional Politics: In addition to major national
parties and their regional affiliates, political party system
included numerous regional parties that participated in regional
elections and, in the case of the larger parties, also in
national elections. Most prominent mainstream parties were Basque
Nationalist Party (Partido Nacionalista Vasco--PNV) and
Convergence and Union (Convergencia i Unio--CiU), a Catalan
party. Catalan parties generally pragmatic and moderate, but some
Basque parties regarded as extremist and leftist with ties to
terrorist organizations.
Foreign Relations: Traditionally isolated from
mainstream European affairs. Neutral in both world wars and
ostracized during early rule of Franco because of Franco's
Fascist ties and dictatorial regime. But because of strategic
location at western entrance to Mediterranean, drawn into United
States orbit during Cold War. Signed defense agreement with
United States in 1953, subsequently renewed at regular intervals.
Nevertheless, latent anti-Americanism persisted. Also permitted
to join United Nations (UN). Following Franco's death in 1975,
main diplomatic goal to establish closer ties with Western Europe
and to be recognized as a West European democratic society.
Became member of Council of Europe (see Glossary) in 1977, EC in
1986, and Western European Union (WEU) in 1988. Had already
joined North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1982, but
membership controversial within Spain. Socialists initially
opposed membership, but ultimately came to support limited
membership, and public referendum in March 1986 confirmed Spain's
membership. Other major foreign policy objectives to increase
Spanish influence in Latin America, to achieve return of
sovereignty over Gibraltar to Spain, and to serve as bridge
between Western Europe and Arab world, in which Spain had adopted
generally pro-Arab stance. Latter goal complicated somewhat by
Spain's involvement with Morocco in dispute over sovereignty of
Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla.
International Agreements and Memberships: Member
of UN and its specialized agencies, International Monetary Fund
(IMF--see Glossary), World Bank, General Agreement on Tariffs and
Trade (GATT), and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD--see Glossary). Within Europe, member of
Council of Europe, EC, WEU, and NATO. Also member of InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) and had observer status in Andean
Pact and Organization of American States (OAS). Bilateral
military agreements with United States begun in 1953 and
subsequently renewed.
Data as of December 1988
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