Spanish Political Organization and Administrative Structure
Spanish Political Organization
State Characteristics
- Political Community (Nation): Formed by nationalities or regions (e.g., Autonomous Communities in Spain).
- Territory: Defined by borders, including embassies, ships, and planes outside physical territory.
- Sovereign Power: Legitimate authority to govern and impose over any other power.
Rule of Law in Spain
Spain’s state model is based on the rule of law, encompassing:
- Popular Sovereignty: Indivisible and based on equality, freedom, solidarity, and political pluralism.
- Principle of Legality
- Recognition of Subjective Public Rights: Includes citizens’ rights, political rights, and social and economic rights.
- Socialist Rule of Law: Enshrined in Article 9.2 of the Spanish Constitution.
Territorial Structure
According to Article 2 of the Spanish Constitution, Spain is one indivisible nation with sovereign power, composed of nationalities and regions that may constitute Autonomous Communities.
Levels of Government
- State:
- Executive
- Legislative
- Judicial
- Autonomous Community Government:
- Executive
- Legislative
- Local Administration:
- Municipios (Municipalities): Governed by City Councils or Open Councils.
- Provinces: Governed by Provincial Governments.
- Islands (Canary and Balearic Islands): Governed by Councils (Canary Islands) or Tips (Balearic Islands).
Local governments are mandatory, while other local entities (e.g., associations) are voluntary.
Executive Branches
- State: Government of the nation and the General State Administration (AGE).
- Autonomous Communities: Executive Board (e.g., of Castile and León) and the Autonomous Administration.
- Local Government: Municipality and the municipal administration; at the provincial level, the Deputation and the provincial administration.
Public Administration
State
- Central: Exercises jurisdiction throughout the territory, led by a Minister and supported by Secretaries of State, General Secretaries, and Undersecretaries.
- Peripheral: Exercises powers in specific parts of the territory (e.g., Tax Office), led by Government Delegates in Autonomous Communities, Sub-delegates in provinces, and Ministerial Services.
- Exterior: Exercises powers outside the country through embassies and consulates.
- Embassies: Represent the state in another state.
- Consulates: Represent the state to its citizens abroad.
Other representative bodies abroad include missions to organizations and Spanish institutions abroad (e.g., Instituto Cervantes), which are financed by the state but do not represent it.
Breaking diplomatic relations involves withdrawing the ambassador, halting negotiations, and leaving citizens without representation. This can affect the recognition of previous political agreements.