Spanish Transition to Democracy After Franco’s Death
Spanish Transition to Democracy
The term ‘Transition’ refers to the period between General Franco’s death in November 1975 and the establishment of a liberal democracy in Spain. A key aspect of the Spanish Transition was that it utilized the institutions Franco had created. Franco’s succession law appointed Prince Juan Carlos of Bourbon as his successor in 1969. Upon Franco’s death in 1975, Juan Carlos became king, following Franco’s procedures. The fundamental Francoist laws remained in effect, and Juan Carlos did not initially dismiss the last prime minister, Carlos Arias Navarro.
There were three main political stances:
- The still-illegal parties wanted a complete break from the Franco regime. Workers, students, nationalists, and intellectuals demanded amnesty for political prisoners, the legalization of political parties and trade unions, the dismantling of Francoist institutions, and free elections.
- The Francoist old guard opposed any reform and wanted the regime to continue. This stance was particularly held by army officers who feared the breaking of the state’s unity and the legalization of the Communist Party.
- A faction of Francoist forces favored some political reform, recognizing the growing opposition to the regime. They understood that the regime could not survive without introducing some degree of freedom and democracy.
Arias Navarro’s Government
Juan Carlos initially kept Arias Navarro as prime minister. The hopes raised by Franco’s death were soon frustrated, and a wave of demonstrations challenged the country’s stability. The government responded with repressive measures, such as the events in Gasteiz in March 1976, where 5 demonstrators died and thousands were wounded.
Adolfo Suarez’s Government
Arias Navarro was unable to manage the growing unrest, and the king dismissed him. To the surprise of many, the king appointed Adolfo Suarez as his successor. Together, they devised a strategy for a smooth transition from within the regime, controlling the democratization process from above. The first steps included the legalization of political parties, an amnesty, and the proposal of a law for political reform. This law granted sovereignty to the people, recognized fundamental individual rights, and established that the power to make laws resided in the Cortes, elected through universal suffrage. The Francoist Cortes approved this law, even though it meant their own dissolution. This law enabled the 1977 elections.
In the first six months, significant reforms were enacted rapidly. There was an amnesty for political prisoners, independent trade unions replaced vertical syndicates, and the right to strike was restored. In April, the National Movement was disbanded. The legalization of political parties began in February. Elections were called in June after trade unions and the PCE were legalized. The UCD won the elections, and the PSOE became the second political force. This marked the triumph of the center-right and center-left, ending the polarization that had plagued the country since the Second Republic. The period from 1977 to 1979 was marked by consensus politics, with a high degree of cooperation between the government and the opposition to lay the foundations of the new regime. Their main tasks were drafting a Constitution and addressing the serious economic crisis.
Economic Challenges and the Moncloa Pacts
The return to democracy coincided with a quadrupling of oil prices, which had a severe impact on the Spanish economy, as Spain imported 70% of its energy. The economic recession was not solely due to the oil crisis but also revealed an institutional structure unable to function in a country where output had increased fivefold in 30 years. Austerity measures were necessary, and these were agreed upon in the Moncloa Pacts in October. Leaders of Spain’s major political parties and the two leading trade unions, CCOO and UGT, agreed to share the costs of economic reforms.
The 1978 Constitution
A major task during this transitional period was drafting a new constitution. It was imperative that the new constitution be based on consensus. The Constitutional Committee of the Cortes elected a parliamentary commission, which began its deliberations and cooperation. The constitution was approved in a referendum on December 6, 1978. It established a parliamentary monarchy and guaranteed citizens equality and individual liberties.
Statute of Autonomy of the Basque Country
After the 1978 constitution, the statute of autonomy of the Basque Country was drafted. It was issued during the Transition period, after the 1978 Constitution had been approved. This statute replaced the one in force for 9 months in Biscay during the Spanish Civil War.
Later Developments
In 1981, Adolfo Suarez resigned. While the deputies at the Madrid Cortes were electing the new prime minister, Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo, Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Tejero stormed the Congress of Deputies. The military coup failed. In 1982, the socialist party PSOE, led by Felipe Gonzalez, won the elections, and in 1986, Spain became a member of the European Union.