Political Opposition and Crisis in Francoist Spain
The Political Opposition
The nationalist parties, like Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) and the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), played a significant role in this historical period. In 1974, the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC) was founded, a party led by Jordi Pujol. In the Basque Country, the most impactful event was the emergence of ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna – “Basque Fatherland and Liberty”) in 1959. This new organization, combining socialist ideas and radical nationalism, advocated for armed struggle against Franco, starting in 1968.
The Regime’s Political Crisis
In June 1973, Luis Carrero Blanco was named President of the Government, with the expectation that he would maintain the unity of all Francoist factions and ensure the regime’s continuity after the dictator’s death. However, these plans were cut short in December of that year when Carrero Blanco was assassinated by ETA in an attack perpetrated in Madrid.
From this point on, the fracture widened between those betting on the permanence of the regime at all costs, even with increasing repression (the immobilists), and those who saw the need for progressive change and created political associations within the Movement (the aperturists). The sectors opposed to any transformation defended the unalterable character of the principles of July 18th. They formed the so-called bunker, which brought together military commanders, old Falangists, and politicians recalcitrant to change.
In 1974, a new government headed by Carlos Arias Navarro was formed, which attempted to unite aperturist and immobilist tendencies. The government program was summarized in the “spirit of February 12th,” the date on which the president delivered a speech in Parliament that set a project of opening up to greater political pluralism. Arias promised a new Municipal Law to allow the election of mayors and provincial council presidents, amendments to the power of prosecutors in the courts, announced union reforms, and a new law on political associations.
However, the ultra-right sectors denounced the imminent danger of the regime’s destruction and forced a new dynamic in which, with Franco gravely ill, the Arias Navarro government clearly opted for immobilism. Faced with the lack of reforms, the aperturist ministers left the government. The attempt to open up failed, clearly showing Francoism’s inability to democratize itself from within.
The Rise of Anti-Francoism
From 1973 onwards, there was a dramatic increase in social unrest and political protest. Labor protests (strikes and demonstrations) and pro-opposition groups increased considerably. These groups moved to establish unitary bodies to demand the democratization of the country and prevent the continuation of the Franco regime.
In July 1971, the Assembly of Catalonia was established, which encompassed all the Catalan opposition. In 1974, at the initiative of the PCE, the Democratic Board of Spain was established in Paris, with the participation of the Workers’ Commissions, many left-wing parties, and even individuals from the democratic right. Its programs advocated for the formation of a provisional government that would introduce a democratic regime and adopt immediate measures such as amnesty, political and union freedoms, and the legalization of all political parties.