Spanish Transition: The Second Arias Navarro Government
The Second Government of Carlos Arias Navarro
The new government featured reformist figures, including Arias Navarro and men from the "Prince's generation" (the Príncipe). The executive, who presented his program on January 28, 1976, disappointed the opposition due to the limited scope of the reforms, which were posed as a strategy for implementing changes through consensus with the National Council and the Francoist apparatus.
Legislative Challenges and the Joint Commission
A Joint Commission-Council Government was created to develop new laws. Torcuato Fernández-Miranda accelerated the process of passing these laws in Congress. While the Joint Committee voted on proposed changes regarding political associations, the transformation of the Criminal Code remained stalled, which prevented legal action by political parties.
Social Unrest and the Economic Crisis
Torn between loyalty to Franco and the need for political changes demanded by the Crown, the government lost momentum. It struggled to address problems of public order and a deepening economic crisis. In January 1976, the largest demonstration since the Civil War took place, with workers negotiating two-thirds of collective agreements. Worker organization improved significantly, led by the candidacies of the CCOO, as they reclaimed official labor structures to direct worker mobilizations.
The Vitoria Massacre and Montejurra Events
During a lengthy general strike, five workers were killed in Vitoria. For many analysts, this tragedy represented the final failure of Arias's project. This was followed by the Montejurra events, where a confrontation between the two branches of Carlism—the democratic Carlos Hugo of Bourbon and the Francoist Sixto of Bourbon—resulted in the murder of two young people. These events severely impaired the government's reformist image and that of Fraga Iribarne as the head of public policy.
The Rise of Democratic Coordination
The opposition agreed to merge the Democratic Board and the Democratic Convergence Platform into a single body: Democratic Coordination (Platajunta). Although the government received written protests, it eventually authorized the Congress of the UGT.
The Resignation of Arias and the Rise of Adolfo Suárez
Given the serious deterioration of public order, the lack of government initiatives, and the difficult economic situation, King Juan Carlos accepted the resignation of Arias on July 1, 1976. Through Fernández-Miranda, the King managed the selection of three candidates for the Presidency of the Government to be submitted by the Council of the Realm. Adolfo Suárez was ultimately named President, having distinguished himself in defending the status of political associations and showing a moderate temperament during the Vitoria crisis.