Land area: 504,782 Km2
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Capital: Madrid
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The Senate (Senado) has 248 members, of whom 208 are elected for four-year terms in four-member constituencies and 40 are appointed by the legislatures of the Autonomous Communities.
Electoral authority: The Ministry of the Interior conducts national elections.
Freedom House rating:
Political Rights 1, Civil Liberties 1
Political history
The Kingdom of Spain was formed by the union of Castille and Aragon at the end of the 15th century. The conquest of the Americas made Spain a world power, but after 1700, when the throne passed to the House of Bourbon, its power declined steadily. Spain's decline culminated in the loss of its last major colonies in the Spanish-American war of 1898.
This defeat led to the development of a movement for political reform, culminating in the proclamation of a Republic in 1931. Democratic elections were held for the first time, with universal male suffrage. The conservatives never accepted the Republic, and the election of a left-wing Popular Front government in 1936 was the pretext for a military revolt led by General Francisco Franco. The failure of the rebels to secure a quick victory led to a bitter three-year civil war.
Franco's forces completed their victory in March 1939, and Franco established a semi-fascist regime. The monarchy was officially restored, but Franco remained as head of state until his death in 1975. Juan Carlos of Bourbon, grandson of King Alfonso XIII, then assumed the throne.
Juan Carlos dismantled the aparatus of Francoism, all political parties were legalised, and free elections were held. Spain has made a rapid transition to a stable, prosperous, increasingly secular democracy. The Basque and Catalan regions were given substantial economy. In 1982 Spain elected a socialist government, ending the political schism dating back to the Civil War.
The conservative People's Party, led by Jose Maria Aznar, was in office from
1996 until 2004. The People's Party has its roots in the Franco-era rightwing, but has fully accepted democracy.
Similarly, the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), in office from 1982 to 1996 and since 2004, has abandoned both socialism and republicanism and is a mainstream social democratic party. The once powerful Communist Party is declining, even in the disguise of the United Left.
Despite the adoption of a federal system, the non-Castilian regions of Spain still support autonomist parties such as the Convergence and Union (a moderate Catalan nationalist party), the Basque Nationalist Party, the Galician Nacionalist Bloc and the
Canary Islands Coalition.
This defeat led to the development of a movement for political reform, culminating in the proclamation of a Republic in 1931. Democratic elections were held for the first time, with universal male suffrage. The conservatives never accepted the Republic, and the election of a left-wing Popular Front government in 1936 was the pretext for a military revolt led by General Francisco Franco. The failure of the rebels to secure a quick victory led to a bitter three-year civil war.
Franco's forces completed their victory in March 1939, and Franco established a semi-fascist regime. The monarchy was officially restored, but Franco remained as head of state until his death in 1975. Juan Carlos of Bourbon, grandson of King Alfonso XIII, then assumed the throne.
Juan Carlos dismantled the aparatus of Francoism, all political parties were legalised, and free elections were held. Spain has made a rapid transition to a stable, prosperous, increasingly secular democracy. The Basque and Catalan regions were given substantial economy. In 1982 Spain elected a socialist government, ending the political schism dating back to the Civil War.
The conservative People's Party, led by Jose Maria Aznar, was in office from 1996 until 2004. The People's Party has its roots in the Franco-era rightwing, but has fully accepted democracy. Similarly, the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), in office from 1982 to 1996 and since 2004, has abandoned both socialism and republicanism and is a mainstream social democratic party. The once powerful Communist Party is declining, even in the disguise of the United Left.
Despite the adoption of a federal system, the non-Castilian regions of Spain still support autonomist parties such as the Convergence and Union (a moderate Catalan nationalist party), the Basque Nationalist Party, the Galician Nacionalist Bloc and the Canary Islands Coalition.