Spain's Second Republic: From Dictatorship to Democracy (1930-1931)

From Dictatorship to the Republic

After Primo de Rivera's resignation, King Alfonso XIII tasked General Dámaso Berenguer with forming a government. However, returning to the previous political regime proved impossible. The dynastic parties had lost prestige and organizational structure, the monarchy was unpopular, and the people identified the king as a dictator. Antimonarchic forces took the initiative, culminating in the Pact of San Sebastián on August 17, 1930.

Republicanism in Spain (1930-1931)

Spanish republicanism was characterized by fragmentation and political inefficiency. The Pact of San Sebastián forged a new alliance where Republicans joined forces with converted monarchists. The pact signatories agreed to suppress the monarchy, proclaim the Republic, and create a provisional government. Shortly after, the PSOE and the CNT also joined.

The strategy to overthrow the monarchy involved the insurrection of some army units and a general strike to accentuate social unrest. Three days before the planned date, Captains Fermín Galán and Ángel García Hernández acted prematurely, taking over Jaca. They were subdued, tried, and executed. The following day, some representatives of the provisional government of the Republic were arrested and imprisoned. The strike attempt failed, but conspiracies to establish the Republic continued.

Social Unrest and Political Change

In early 1931, the climate of social unrest persisted. On February 14, General Dámaso Berenguer resigned, and Jaun Bautista Aznar was appointed chairman of the government, calling for municipal elections. The parties that signed the Pact of San Sebastián presented these elections as a referendum on the monarchy.

The Triumph of Republicanism

The results were favorable to Republican candidates, who won in almost every provincial capital. On April 14, the provisional government of the Republic was formed, presided over by Alcalá Zamora. In Catalonia, Francesc Macià, leader of Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, proclaimed the Catalan Republic within the Iberian Federation. That same afternoon, Alfonso XIII went into exile. The Second Republic was a fact.