Public Administration Control Bodies and Institutional Framework

Public Administration Control Bodies

The Public Administration serves the general interest with objectivity and operates in compliance with the principles of efficiency, hierarchy, decentralization, and coordination.

• Judicial Control: The courts oversee regulatory power and the legality of administrative actions.
• Council of State: As the supreme consultative body of the government, it is regulated by organic law. It issues opinions on topics proposed by the Prime Minister or ministers and provides the possibility for private hearings.
• Economic and Social Council: Established to fulfill the constitutional function of reinforcing the participation of economic and social actors in national life. It serves as a government advisory body on socioeconomic and labor matters.
• Court of Auditors: Responsible for examining the state's general accounts and controlling public spending.

Institutional Framework in Autonomous Communities

Legislative and Executive Functions

• Legislature: Responsible for lawmaking within its jurisdiction, budgetary control, the election of senators, and filing appeals of unconstitutionality with the Constitutional Court.
• Governing Council: Holds executive and regulatory powers, with the exception of enacting decree-laws. It exercises oversight over the government through interpellations.
• Superior Court of Justice: Holds jurisdiction over the territory of the Autonomous Community; however, it is a state organ rather than an autonomous one.

Instrumental Administration

• Autonomous Bodies: Responsible for the promotion, management, or provision of public services. They are governed by administrative law.
• Public Companies: Organizations responsible for the production of goods or services within the public sector. They are governed by private law.
• Social Security Management Organizations: Tasked with managing the various features of the Social Security system.
• Specific Regime of Public Organizations: Entities whose activities are similar to autonomous bodies or private entities but are governed by their own specific rules.