Spain's Tumultuous Years: Political Instability 1933-1936
Spain's Political Turmoil: 1933-1936
The Conservative Biennium (1933-1935)
The center-right secured victory in the 1933 elections. Alejandro Lerroux's Radical Republican Party formed the government, supported by José María Gil-Robles' CEDA (Spanish Confederation of Autonomous Rights). This new administration promptly halted the reforms initiated by the previous government and granted amnesty to those involved in the 1932 coup attempt. These actions fueled deep mistrust among leftist groups, pushing them towards more radical stances.
In 1934, the inclusion of CEDA ministers in the government was met with strong opposition from left-wing parties, leading to attempts to seize power through undemocratic means, culminating in the October Revolution. The revolution saw significant success in Asturias, where labor organizations occupied the coal basin. However, General Francisco Franco, dispatched by the government, brutally suppressed the revolt. In Catalonia, the autonomous government joined the insurrection, with Lluís Companys proclaiming the Catalan Republic within the Spanish Republic. Following the movement's failure, the Catalan government was dissolved, and its leaders imprisoned.
The suppression of the revolution plunged the government into crisis. Growing ideological differences and widespread corruption within the Radical Republican Party ultimately dissolved the ruling coalition, leading to new elections called for February 1936.
The Popular Front (1936)
The left unified for the 1936 elections under the banner of the Popular Front, a coalition comprising socialists, communists, republican parties, and some nationalist forces, with additional support from anarchists. On the right, prominent militant leaders gained influence, notably José Calvo Sotelo and José Antonio Primo de Rivera, leader of the fascist Spanish Falange.
The Popular Front narrowly won the election but secured a significant majority of seats due to the disunity among right-wing parties. The new government immediately resumed the reform policies and granted amnesty to prisoners from the October Revolution. Niceto Alcalá-Zamora was ousted as President, replaced by Manuel Azaña.
Street-level tension escalated dramatically. Spain witnessed waves of strikes, church burnings, and violent clashes between Falange militants and labor organizations, frequently resulting in assassinations. Meanwhile, certain military figures, led by General Emilio Mola, began to meticulously plan a conspiracy to overthrow the Republic. The escalating violence reached a critical point on July 12, 1936, when right-wing gunmen assassinated Lieutenant José Castillo, a known leftist. Just a day later, on July 13, Castillo's colleagues retaliated by killing José Calvo Sotelo, a leading figure of the right. This tragic event directly precipitated the uprising of Spanish troops in North Africa on July 17, 1936, spearheaded by General Francisco Franco, marking the beginning of the Spanish Civil War.