Franco's Dictatorship and Spain's Transition to Democracy

Franco's Dictatorship (1939-1975)

Features:

• No constitution (replaced by Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom and the National Movement).
• Concentration of all power in Franco.
• Principles: Nation, Religion, Unity, and Order.

Support: Army, Church, and Monarchists.

Domestic Policy:

First Stage (1939-1953)

• Chief of State: Franco.
• Councils elected by ex-ministers.
• Courts established in 1942, reaffirming Franco's power.
• Great international isolation.
• Repression and suppression of freedoms and rights.

Second Stage (1953-1975)

• Economic modernization begins; development plans in industry, agriculture, and services.
• Technocrats appointed as ministers to develop the country.
• Some political liberalization (Press Law of '66, Law of Religious Freedom).
• Organic Law of the State (theoretically democratizes the state, emphasizing the representative character of the courts).
• Monarchy affirmed as the political form of the Spanish state (1969); Prince Juan Carlos named Franco's successor.
• 1953 Agreements: with the Holy See and the U.S. (economic aid in exchange for military bases).
• Spain joins the UN in 1955.

Last Step (1975)

Early 1970s: Spain is developed but with a dictatorial political system. From 1970 to 1975, Franco's policies harden due to rising tensions with the Church, strikes, student demonstrations, and terrorist activities. In 1973, Carrero Blanco is assassinated by ETA. Franco dies in November 1975, and Juan Carlos I is proclaimed King of Spain: The democratic transition begins!

Democratic Transition (1975-1982)

A political process from Franco's death in 1975 until the 1982 elections, which the PSOE wins. The goal is to return sovereignty to the Spanish people through:

• Granting freedoms.
• Legalization of all political parties.
• Free general elections to form a Constituent Assembly to prepare a constitution.

Arias Navarro Government (1975-1976)

• November 22, 1975: The King swears to the courts as the new Head of State.
• Carlos Arias Navarro, appointed Prime Minister by Franco, remains in office and forms a government mixing Francoist hardliners and reformers.
• Arias and the King have disagreements; Arias resigns.

Adolfo Suárez Government (1976-1977)

• Adolfo Suárez is appointed Prime Minister by the King.
• Objective: Restore democracy and dismantle Franco's regime institutions.
• Drafts the Political Reform Law: establishes a bicameral parliament (Congress and Senate), universal suffrage, and the role of the courts in lawmaking.
• This law is approved by referendum on December 15, 1976.