The Statute of Estella and the Second Spanish Republic
The Statute of Estella
On June 14, 1931, Estella drafted a statute. The Mayor convened a meeting, bringing together Carlist nationalists, Basque Studies representatives, and local councils. The project, initially planned for Pamplona, was ultimately moved to Estella. The Statute of Estella, with its nationalistic and confessional leanings, emerged from this meeting, where point-by-point discussions and agreed-upon changes were made.
Spain’s Provisional Government (April-December 1931)
This period coincided with the Provisional Government’s rule following the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic on April 14, 1931, after King Alfonso XIII was ousted. The day before, on April 13, Eibar raised the Republican flag, ahead of other cities.
The Statute of Estella addressed the autonomy of municipalities and the exclusion of administrators from Congress. The Republican government’s unfulfilled promise of autonomy became problematic during the “Black Biennium.” The Spanish right, not supportive of autonomy, used the Statute to restore the fueros (traditional Basque laws), rather than adhering to the Republic’s Constitution. The Statute, referencing the fueros, envisioned a confederate structure, limiting central government control and strengthening provincial roles. It also proposed traditional elections and restricted the political rights of immigrants (requiring 10 years of residency for voting rights, despite significant immigration). Its confessional nature clashed with the liberal Basque Studies project and the Republican Constitution. The Statute, based on the Basque Studies Project but revised by the Carlists and the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), became a partisan document.
The Statute was a key program point for the PNV-Carlist coalition, which performed well in the 1931 elections. However, it lacked support from the far left and faced challenges in parliamentary approval.
Of the 220 Navarrese municipalities present, 200 (89.93%) favored the Statute. Pamplona also affirmed its support in a July 13 assembly.
On September 22, a delegation of 420 mayors, including those of Madrid and Alcalá-Zamora, presented the Statute. Parliamentary debate on September 25-26 focused on church-state relations, leading to the Statute’s rejection due to its unconstitutionality.
The adoption of the Second Republic’s Constitution on December 9 established a separation of church and state, including the outlawing of religious orders’ involvement in labor and education. This made the Statute of Estella’s autonomy solution unviable.
The Reformist Period (October 1931-1933)
The two years following October 1931 were marked by reform efforts. Zamora resigned, and Azaña led the government. The second wave of reforms, focusing on agriculture and education, achieved some success but ended with Azaña’s resignation amid strikes and political instability.
Right-Wing Government (December 1933-February 1936)
A right-wing government held power during this period. The workers’ rebellion of October 5, 1934, in Asturias and Catalonia, aimed at seizing power, saw significant government pushback. In the Basque Country, the movement was largely confined to rural areas.
The Popular Front (February-July 1936)
The Popular Front coalition won the February 16, 1936, elections. Their victory marked a return to reformist ideals but also heightened political tensions.
The Popular Front Program
This program, drafted on January 16, 1936, by the Socialists and the Popular Front, reflected the political climate of the Second Republic (1931-1939). It addressed the reforms of the previous two years, which were deemed insufficient by workers and peasants and too radical by conservative groups. The program aimed to establish legal frameworks for political and social crimes, grant amnesty, and address land reform and banking system modifications. It emphasized a national, rather than class-based, republic.
The election campaign was fraught with tension due to the right’s intentions. The Popular Front’s victory led to Azaña forming a government. However, societal divisions remained deep. The government lasted only five months amid escalating tensions. Under socialist pressure, Alcalá-Zamora was replaced by Azaña, and Casares Quiroga was appointed to the government. A broad political amnesty was granted, officials were reinstated, the Catalan Generalitat was reopened, and the Galician Statute of Autonomy was advanced. Land reform measures were implemented, leading to expropriations and conflicts between farmers and landowners. Public order deteriorated as the right challenged the government’s legitimacy. Street fighting between leftist groups and Falangists became common. The burning of churches and convents resumed. The military, already plotting a coup, sought a pretext. The government attempted to distance suspicious generals from Madrid, but the intrigue continued. The assassination of pro-government police officer José Castillo in Madrid, followed by the killing of a monarchist by Calco members, further fueled the tensions that would erupt into the Spanish Civil War.