The Transition to Democracy in Spain (1975-1978)
Item 22: The Transition to Democracy (ESTABLISHING THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM IN SPAIN 1975-1978). 1.-Introduction. Since
Franco‘s death, 1975, began a delicate political operation to bring to a parliamentary democracy aEspaña . The steps to introduce democracy were:
1. In 1976, the king trusts the Government to Adolfo Suárez, who dismantled the sistemafranquista and negotiated with the opposition leaders the foundation for the conclusion deelecciones to 1977.2. In 1977, elections to parliament are held Constituyentes.3. In 1978, adoption of the Constitution and acceptance of Autonomías.4 regime. The party which was performed by Adolfo Suárez UCD (Union of CentroDemocrático) Juan Carlos de Borbon to be proclaimed king should swear National delMovimiento Fundamental Principles. The oath and the succession took place on the 22nd at a ceremony inthe Cortes.Dentro of Franco had two sectors:
–
immobility: the old Falange, the army almost entirely, except general dealgunos and vertical trade unionism but a few leaders. They believed inthe possibility of a “no Franco Franco.” No choice but to accept larepresión action by police or paramilitary bands
.- Opening:
sectors and chaired by Fraga Silva Muñoz, sought political crearasociaciones, who thought that the Franco regime could not last, especially after Franco died. They tried to get the government to inmovilistas.Fuera the regime, the opposition presented two trends: –
Moderate:
Whose leaders had not had close contact with the regime DeFranco although he had opposed so strongly. Were monárquicospartidarios Don Juan de Borbon, the Democrats and Radical
Liberals
.-:
were represented by the traditional left and historical, who had unatradición workers. They were: PSOE, PCE, UGT, CNT, USO (Union Sindical Obrera) yCCOO (CCOO). The dismantling of the Francoist regime was due to several factors: depletion of lafórmula authoritarian, unable to resolve the changes in Spain, the role of King, elpapel reformist political forces led by Adolfo Suarez, régimenfranquista dissolved. The attitude of the democratic opposition gave up some principles proper, parapodia do change the system. And international influence, lademocratización favor of Spain. The popular protest action paraconseguir developed a great display of freedom of political prisoners of Franco. Democratic Coordination suyala requirement made of the release of prisoners as indispensable condition for any democratic process dereforma.
2 .- Development. The transition was difficult, with two key moments: the legalization of the PCE and the coup d’Estadodel February 23, 1981. Both were successfully overcome and the transition was confirmed yterminada with the victory of the PSOE in 1982.El political role of King Juan Carlos I, did not begin to emerge until November 1975, remained in the background Meanwhile, according to the wishes of project Franco.El the king was his father Juan de Borbón, 1946, that is, put a sistemademocrático in Spain. This project was supported in Spain by the capitalist sector, partede opposition to Franco and supporters within the Franco regime. DeEspaña was also supported by the U.S. And outside the country was occidentales.Peroa ghost for the transition:
the Civil War. There were in Spain, the extremaizquierda and extreme right (with the support of the army).
The danger, of any political situation could create a violent action. The solution was ecause the opposition controlled his followers to keep the army did not intervene in political PROCESS to save the system transition franquista.La directed by Juan Carlos I began to reign within the law franquista.Juró Principles of the Movement, took possession of the Crown before the Courts franquistas.Respetó the Organic Law of State to appoint its first prime minister. But in his discursoante Courts was in favor of the changes.
The first government was headed by Arias Navarro. This meant the continuity delfranquismo. But in the coming three government ministers who are for change: José M ª de Areilza (collaborator of Don Juan), Antonio Garrigues and Fraga. For military matters: a general franquista.Y two key appointments for the future: Adolfo Suarez and Fernandez Miranda.La solutions nar situation by the government very difficult, due to the agitation of the opposition enaumento: demonstrations of the amnesty, stresses in the P. Basque (ETA with popular support), general strike in Vitoria (1976), harshly repressed (March 76, five dead and dozens Deher), Fraga (Minister of the Interior) discredited, justifying the police action with his famous phrase ” street is mine. “We also note the events of Montejurra (Navarra) during a traditional Carlist concentration, faced the features of the mismaideología (Democrat and Franco), with firearms and the result of two dead . Porúltimo should be noted the impatience of the opposition. They create the “Democratic Coordination”. Donovan to accept the continuation of the Franco regime, which was what I wanted Arias Navarro (pequeñosretoques only). In 1976, the King and march to the U.S. Areilza (seeking their support) and declare their desire deinstaurar in Spain a democratic system. Given the delays (in it) of Arias Navarro, the Reyle calls for his resignation dimisión.Tras is elected prime minister, Adolfo Suarez. He was chosen from a shortlist Porel king. It came from the ranks Falangists, nobody believed that he was the right man to bring lademocracia to Spain. Nobody wanted to be part of the new government, so almost all young and new eranpolíticos. Suarez was eligible for: – Convincing the Francoist political system in the Cortes to desmantelarael Franco .- In this way, respected the law in force (as the courts can make changes) .- This would avoid the intervention of the reformist project ejército.El was inaccurate in many respects, and directed from the legalidadinstitucional inherited from the Franco regime and not from the street: that is, change from existing laws and seamlessly.
Suárez’s political program was based on two points:
1. Political Reform Act, drafted by a Falangist (Fernandez Miranda, elegidopresidente of the Courts by the king) had to be approved by the Cortes and the Spanish enReferéndum to establish a democracy. The law provided that courts would establish by sufragiouniversal one composed of two chambers, Congress and Senate, elected by sufragio3universal. It also announced a future democratic elections with the help of partidospolíticos This law was approved by the Cortes Franco (emergency procedure). Concretabacomo not going to be the new political system. Eliminating obstacles offered by the regime DeFranco> Franco settled law by the decision of the Francoist CortesWhy dismantle the Franco Franco?
1.-Cortes prosecutors had secured a safe transition, 2.-were guaranteed the preservation of their social status and económico3.-the predominance of right-política4. The absence of request anterior5. Accountability regime-maintenance on the illegality of the left more aggressively.
The law discussed by the Parliament, which overwhelmingly approved it and submitted to a referendum. He left it by a majority (94%). From now on s could hold elections, but I needed to Support from the opposition.
Suárez’s relations with the opposition in
1976 when focus concedeuna partial political amnesty, and later extended after all. It legalizes the right to lahuelga. Legalizes freedom of association and promulgated the Law Electoral.Se produced interviews with the opposition in order to legalize political parties. Al finallegalizados because the leaders are willing to cooperate. Meets with Felipe González (PSOE), gave their support. The more confrontational the PCE (the most numerous and better organized). They said that the Political Reform Act was undemocratic. That the elections were to serconvocadas by a provisional government that was part of the opposition. Entrevistacon Suarez Santiago Carrillo, willing to collaborate. The army against his legalización.En As for relations with the army Suarez (the bunker).
Suárez knew well losfranquistas harder Giron de Velasco y Blas Pinar (very influential in the army). Intentabuscar military support from more liberal: Alegria Diaz Gutierrez Mellado. Destituyeal for Defence was the hard-line and appoints Gutierrez Mellado, more business: promoting the official supporters of political reform and to replace laPolicía controls and the Civil Guard. Suarez wants to show the military that do not involve nianarquía reforms or revolution. Carrillo had to do with the Communists, but not with gruposterroristas.Durante this period there is a revival of terrorism.
In the Basque Country is a political granebullición, demanding amnesty granted Suarez. But ETA attacks continued. Tambiéncabe highlight the actions of GRAPO:
Bombs and kidnapping of personalities franquistas.También developed extreme right-wing terrorism: murder of Atocha (lawyers linked alPCE). All maneuvers are provocative: but Suarez got him and almost all the opposition loslíderes published a statement denouncing terrorism and supporting the final Suárez.Al came to the June elections to the Constituent Cortes.
2. Call for democratic elections in June 1977 to elect new Cortesque develop a democratic constitution. On 15 June 1977se held. It presentancuatro major political forces:
* UCD (Unión de Centro Democrático) Suarez. Coalition of centrist and democratic dederechas as Democrats, liberals, social and reformismofranquista.
* PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers Party) Felipe Gonzalez and Alfonso Guerra. It definiócomo the option of a democratic socialism and Marxist-* PCE (Communist Party of Spain) Santiago Carrillo and Dolores Ibarruri. It mantuvocomo bastion of the left and the struggle against Franco.
* AP (Alianza Popular) Manuel Fraga. Franco’s right.
* Also nationalists –
PNV (Basque Nationalist Party) – CDC (Democratic Convergence of Catalonia).
The UCD won. The PSOE became the second political force
The courts with these representatives begin to draft the constitution is a political agreement lasfuerzas). At the end of their program was accomplished. It produced the 1978 Constitution was created autonomías.La ELESTA of political transition from dictatorship to democracy took place while initiating an international economic crisis of a depth unknown in Europe since World War II. In a situation dominated by the dollar crisis, OPEC (Organization of Petroleum PaísesExportadores) quadrupled oil prices, product laseconomías essential for developed countries. Rising oil prices also triggered inSpain a situation of extreme gravity. In 1979 a new crisis larecesión sharpen again. It was an industrial crisis, lacking competitiveness. The unemployment rate rose to anualmuy high and reached 10%. Errors in the fight against the crisis were substantial, sinduda by the priority given to the problems políticos.Hasta four years after the onset of the recession there was no significant change in economic lapolítica.
Moncloa Pacts, signed on 25 October 1977 by the partidosparlamentarios and ratified by Congress, became the first major set of medidaspara address the crisis in Spain. Its aims to reduce inflation and implement a A set of reforms to equitably share the costs of the crisis. The devaluation of the peseta, public delgasto control, reduce the high cost of energy. It laid the foundation for tax reform Social Security Yde. With a delay of almost a century, Spain’s estructuratributaria joined the developed countries of their environment and thus could take the first steps towards laconstrucción of the welfare state.
3.-Conclusion
Along with the political opposition, the popular mobilizations ( strikes and demonstrations) led by anti-Franco forces developed a significant role in decisionesadoptadas by the rulers of the transition. The mobilizations were twofold, labor or trade union politics, and claimed the freedoms, amnesty and autonomy of nationalities lasllamadas históricas.En 1979 (March) held new elections. UCD’s win marked the beginning of unperiodo of stability, even as the difficulties were enormous. A failure on lasmunicipales (April) showed the weakness of the party and internal divisions (they could not agree on basic reforms, such as education, university autonomy law, law of incompatibility of public offices … ..). Suárez was more effective in dismantling delfranquismo in building democracy. Never got incontestable.En 1980 leadership had to undergo a motion of censure.
Gubernamentalfue Since then almost total paralysis, to which must be added an increase in violence. There were dreams are welcome threat of a coup that took place on February 23, 1981. Suarez quit and the coup aprovecharonesta circumstances. Storming the Congress of Deputies. Until the King did not appear in latelevisión, at dawn, and dismissed the rebels, there was no security failure golpede State.Calvo Sotelo’s government, after a brief career, entered a phase of agony until 1982 enagosto dissolved the Parliament and called elections generales.En 1982, the Socialists came to power with Felipe González (PSOE). And latransición is terminated. The new democratic system is assured. No matter who wins the right as laizquierda, the system mantiene.En 1996, regained the right, the PP (Partido Popular) to Aznar.En 2004, rise of the socialist Zapatero.
The change of party in the government does not taint the democratic system, so democracy is established already in the country.