The Catalan Political System: A Comprehensive Guide

Posted on Aug 21, 2024 in Geography

The Spanish Political System

1 What is a Parliamentary Monarchy?

Spain is a parliamentary monarchy, as indicated in the Spanish Constitution.

2 The Crown

• In a parliamentary monarchy, the king holds the Crown. He is the highest representative of the State both domestically and in international relations.
• The King acts as a referee between institutions and exercises the functions bestowed upon him by the Constitution and the laws.
• The King’s position is hereditary and held for life.
• The King is not subject to political responsibility, as he signs laws but does not create them.

4 The Parliament

• In Spain, the Parliament is called the “Cortes Generales.” It comprises two chambers: the Congress of Deputies and the Senate, both elected by citizens in free and periodic elections every four years.

6 Judges and Courts of Justice

The application of laws is carried out by judges, magistrates, and the courts of justice.

7 Political Participation and Political Parties

Political parties serve as channels for citizens who wish to participate in political life.

Territorial Organization of Spain

1 The State of Autonomous Communities

In 1978, Spain established the State of Autonomies, a decentralized political state composed of different autonomous communities. This model promotes decentralized decision-making across the territory.

2 The Spanish State and the Autonomous Communities

Spain recognizes seventeen autonomous communities and two cities with special autonomous status: Ceuta and Melilla.

3 Autonomous Institutions

• Each autonomous community has:
  • A regional Parliament elected by the citizens of the autonomy every four years.
  • A President who represents the autonomous government. The President is chosen by the Parliament and appointed by the King. The President is responsible for forming a government for the region.
  • The Government or Council, which ensures that all its laws and proposals are respected.
  • An administration, a group of offices that implement the policies directed by the government.

The Catalan Autonomous Community

2 Statute of Autonomy

.

• The first self-government of Catalunya was signed in the Constitution of 1931, during the Second Spanish Republic. This statue was known as the Statute of Nuria.
• With the end of Franco’s dictatorship, Spain started a new democratic period. Catalan people voted the new Statute of Autonomy in 1979 (estatut de Sau).

Instituitions of govermknet in Catalunya:

• “Generalitat” is the government of Catalunya and it consists in the Parliament, the Presidency and the Executive Council or Government.

-The parliament that is formed by 135 members, ejected by the citizens over 18 years old.

• It is responsible for legislation, pass every years the budgets and control the activity of the government.  

– The presidency. The president of the “generalitat” is the highest reprehensive of the Spanish State in Catalunya and he gas to explain his decisions in front of the Catalan parliament.

• The president is also the head of the Executive Council.

-the Exertive Council that is integrated by the counselors and they have executive and administrative responsibilities.

• The number of departments and counselors can change in the time talking into account the necessities of Catalunya.

9.3.3 Real power of “Generalitiat de Catalunya”

• The statute of Catalunya guarantees that the Catalan government has exclusive competences in different areas, the most important are:
• The organization of government institutions development, of Catalan right, the culture, the historical and artistic heritage, local administration, urbanism, water resources, the industry, social welfare, the youth, etc.
• The incomes of Catalunya are from the State. The quantity of money depends on the numbers of services and competence that Catalunya develops.
• “Generalitat de Catalunya” can also establish its own taxes and fees that Catalan citizens will pay.
• “Generalitat de Catalunya” can also ask for credit to the banks in order develop the territory.  

9.4.1 Territorial organization of Catalunya

• The Spanish Constitution and the Catalan Statute of Autonomy define the territorial organization of our region:
• As it says in the Constitution, Catalunya is divided in four provinces (Barcelona, Tarragona, Girona and Lleida)
• They are the administrative units organized by the Spanish State and they are formed by a group of towns and cities (municipalities).
• The province has three functions:

-it is electoral area of the State.

-it is territorial division for the administration of the State.

-It is the most important administration to work with the municipal. The government of the provinces is known as “diputació provincial”.

• as it says in the 2006 Catalan Statute of Autonomy; Catalunya is able to organize their territory in municipalities and shires.
• It exitss also the idea or concept of “vegueria” but at the moment, it is not developed. A “vegueria” would include more than one shire.

• 9.4.2 The municipalities

  • The municipalities are the basic unit of territory to define the organization of Catalunya.
  • In Catalunya, towns and cities were crated in the Middle Ages as a result of neighborhood convention in the 13^th Century.
  • Nowadays, Catalunya is formed by 947 municipalities.
  • A town is formed by one or more population areas that are governed by a local administration.
  • Thanks to the proximity, local administration can solve most of the problems faster and more effective that other administration.
  • The government of the town is competence of the city council. The city council is formed by the Major and councilors (regions).

• The representatives of the city council are elated in democratic election. The councilors choose the major of the town. The capacity of the town is where the city hall is placed.
• The city council works with the local taxes paid by the town citizens but also with the money received from “generalitat” and the Sate.
• The quantity of money that each town receives is equal to the number of people living registered in each town.

9.4.3 The shires.

• The shire is a local entity formed by a group of municipalities. It has its own jurisction and some autonomy to develop local policies.
• The administrative function and government is than by the “concell comarcal”.
• Councilors of every town from the “consell comarcal”.
• It has competences given by the “generalitat” in matters of hearth, social services, culture, sports, education and environment.
• The origin and evolution of shire dividend started at the end of the 19^th century.
• In 1892, les bases de Manresa exposed the necessity to divide the Catalan territory in shires.
• After the Second Republic, there was a division of 38 shires in nine regions but with the Civil War and Franco’s dictorship, this possibility was impossible to establish.