The Fall of the Monarchy and the Rise of the Second Spanish Republic
Berenguer’s Government (January 1930 – February 1931)
Berenguer’s government shared the same goal as Aznar’s government under Alfonso XIII: to save the monarchy. Having already failed by associating with the dictatorship, it sought a return to the pre-coup regime of 1923. This is known, as per Ortega y Gasset, as the “Berenguer error.” This was because:
- It was believed that a return to the system was possible, ignoring the connections to the already exhausted dictatorship.
- Elections should have been called, but fear led to a very slow procedure, known as the “soft dictatorship” (*dictablanda*).
In August 1930, opposition forces signed the Pact of San Sebastian, aiming to end the monarchy. Society was increasingly favorable to the Republic, with almost all sectors joining the pact. A group of intellectuals formed a society called “At the Service of the Republic.” Even a large segment of the army began to see the Republican solution as workable and created the Republican Military Association.
The Aftermath of the Pact of San Sebastian
After the Pact of San Sebastian, a revolutionary committee was formed, chaired by the moderate Alcalá Zamora. This committee would become the provisional government after the proclamation of the Republic. The strategy to overthrow the monarchy was to combine a military coup with a general strike, scheduled for December 15, 1930. However, three days before, Captains Fermín Galán and García Hernández rose up in Jaca. This uprising was quickly crushed, its leaders executed, and the strike frustrated.
Another failed attempt was the uprising at the Cuatro Vientos airbase. It was clear that there was a strong desire for change and that repressive measures were useless.
Overwhelmed by the situation, Berenguer resigned on February 14, 1931. The King instructed J.B. Aznar to form a government.
Aznar’s Government (February 14 – April 14, 1931)
Aznar’s government had the same objective as Berenguer’s. They were to call elections, but fearing general elections, they called for municipal elections (considered less risky) on April 12, 1931, with the aim of appointing mayors and councilors.
The entire campaign was presented as a plebiscite. After the elections, the monarchists won the most votes (primarily in smaller towns), while the Republicans won in the big cities. There was a contradiction: objectively, the monarchists won the elections, but the results were declared in favor of the Republicans. Between April 12 and 14, Alfonso XIII had very little support. The triumph of the Republic was celebrated without any formal declaration. According to Aznar: “Spain went to bed monarchist and woke up Republican.”
The Count of Romanones advised the King to leave. Alfonso XIII departed on April 14, 1931, without formally abdicating. Thus began the Second Spanish Republic.