Political Landscape of Spain During the Transition to Democracy

The Left in the Spanish Transition

LEFT: The PSOE had been gaining strength in recent years. Its proposals were still ideologically radical, although it was clear from the presentation that it had moved away from Marxism-Leninism. Its political and electoral program was more flexible: the electoral motto was "Socialism is freedom," and the personality of the young leader Felipe González presented Spain as an open and plural society that had nothing to do with the previous regime.

Although it failed to incorporate all socialist forces, it did attract groups within Catholic circles and other regional movements (in particular, Catalan socialism). Tierno Galván's PSP was excluded from the alliance with the PSOE; it defended much more radical approaches and had some resemblance to an intellectual center-left Azañista movement.

The PCE was the most consistent party in opposition to the Franco regime. It had a strong penetration in the media, academics, intellectuals, and professionals, and was strongly influenced by the CC.OO. union action. Ideologically, it had evolved from traditional Marxism to Eurocommunism, defined as a true democratic socialism, interlaced with social democracy and situated against bureaucratic and authoritarian communism.

But unlike the PSOE, the Communist Party had not renewed its executive during the years of exile, headed by Dolores Ibárruri, "La Pasionaria," in the chair, and Santiago Carrillo as General Secretary of the PCE. The left stood as a mosaic of forces (such as PTE or ORT) that attempted to collect the votes of those who rejected the sense of moderation displayed by the Communists and the CCOO trade union. These left-wing forces did not obtain any parliamentary representation.

Nationalist Parties

In Catalonia, the Catalan Assembly was joined in 1971 to claim recognition of the government abolished by Franco. Looking toward the election, the left was represented by the PSUC (allied with the PCE), the PSOE, and the PSC (allied with the Esquerra Republicana, which held hegemony in the Second Republic but now had little representation).

In the center, the Democratic Pact for Catalonia included Jordi Pujol (PDC) and the Christian Democrats of the Democratic Union of Catalonia (UDC).

However, in the Basque Country, the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), which dominated the government in exile and maintained strong resistance to Franco with undoubted social support, managed to keep virtually the same implantation as in Republican times, collecting the moderate nationalist vote. Before the June 15 elections, a part of ETA-pm left the armed struggle and joined Euskadiko Ezkerra (EE), which gained one seat, while the rest of the organization remained in the armed wing.