Spain Under Late Francoism: Power and Society

Power, Opposition, and Society in Late Franco Spain

The Franco Regime in the 1970s

Governments of the Late Dictatorship

Appointment of Juan Carlos de Borbón as the successor to Franco. Politicians were divided between the regime's immobilists and aperturists. The former bet on maintaining the rigid structure of the system without any reforms. Aperturists believed that remaining in power required making gestures towards the continuation of a democratic regime.

The Carrero Blanco Government

Franco ceded the post of Prime Minister to Carrero Blanco. It was the first time Franco separated the role of Head of State from Head of Government, a clear sign of his physical inability to govern. The government headed by Carrero Blanco lasted a very short time, as in December of the same year, the Prime Minister was killed in an ETA attack.

The Arias Navarro Government

Franco appointed Arias Navarro as the new Prime Minister. On taking office, he gave a speech that seemed to signal openness. The press dubbed this approach the 'Spirit of February 12th'. The government executed Salvador Puig Antich, a libertarian militant accused of the death of a police officer, despite an intensive campaign of protest both within the country and overseas.

Catalonia and Catalan Society in Late Franco Era

Instances of Unity and Organization

L'Assemblea de Catalunya was a type of organization that carried out a series of anti-Francoist campaigns. It helped to identify the purpose of attaining democracy with the aim of achieving l'autogovern (self-government) for Catalonia.

Affirmation of Catalan Culture

In 1975, an intense campaign began to defend the freedom of creative expression through the Catalan language. The Nova Cançó (New Song) movement helped modernize Catalan music. Artists used it to express themselves. The claim for Catalan in these years emphasized that it was not a minor language. The Universitat Catalana d'Estiu (UCE - Catalan Summer University) also began to be held in Northern Catalonia. Reprisals extended to disturb any initiative that displeased the regime, such as when the president of FC Barcelona was summoned by the civil governor because the club had dared to use the megaphone in Catalan instead of Spanish. The Congress of Catalan Culture was proposed to discuss all issues affecting the country's life, from health to language, providing a general assessment of the state of Catalan culture at that time.

1975: The End of the Regime

Franco's Final Months

October 1st, commemorating the Fiesta del Caudillo, was Franco's last public appearance. Franco suffered a new heart attack. In his last few weeks, he was kept alive artificially. Finally, on November 20, 1975, he died. King Juan Carlos I acceded to the throne. He understood that the future of the monarchy was only secured if there was a turn towards democracy.