1869 Spanish Constitution and the First Republic
The 1869 Spanish Constitution
The 1869 Constitution was a fundamental law of Spain, established to guide its governance. This constitution set limits and defined the relations between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the state, guaranteeing certain rights to the people.
Key Ideas Reflected in the 1869 Constitution:
- Right to Vote: Enshrined the right to vote in elections for senators, deputies of the Cortes, and provincial council members.
- Freedom of Expression: Guaranteed freedom of expression.
- Support for Religion: Maintained the financial support for ministers of the Catholic religion.
- National Sovereignty: Affirmed the principle of national sovereignty.
- Lawmaking: Established that laws were to be made by the courts, with the King responsible for promulgation and sanction.
- Executive Power: Vested executive power in the King, exercised through his ministers.
- Judicial Power: Assigned judicial power to the courts.
- Composition of Courts: Defined the courts as being composed of the Congress of Deputies and the Senate.
- Constitutional Courts: Designated members of the Constitutional Courts as representatives of national sovereignty, with the power to issue or amend the constitution.
Elections: The process by which members of an organization or governmental jurisdiction, such as a state or nation, select individuals to occupy positions of authority.
Executive Power: One of the three main powers and functions of the state (along with the legislative and judicial), consisting of law enforcement and often exercised by the head of government or head of state.
This period falls within the Sexenio Democrático (Democratic Six Years, 1868-1874). The Elizabethan political system was in crisis, the monarchy was discredited, and the deaths of O’Donnell and Narváez, coupled with an economic crisis, led to the Revolution of 1868. General Serrano became the chairman of the Interim Government, addressing the demands of revolutionary juntas. Among the government’s primary tasks was the creation of the 1869 Constitution, one of its most significant and liberal measures.
Political Evolution of the First Spanish Republic
The First Spanish Republic was established by an agreement of the courts, but it had little initial support. Monarchists did not reject it outright, but they did not actively support it either. The Republic lasted eleven months (February 11, 1873, to January 1874).
- Estanislao Figueras was the first president. During his presidency, there was debate about the model of the republic. Two main trends emerged:
- Unitary Republic: Supported by progressives who had previously supported Amadeo I, and members of the Radical Party, as well as Unitarian Republicans.
- Federal Republic: Supported by federal Republicans.
- Francisco Pi y Margall became the second president. He established the Federal Republic, which lasted for one and a half months (mid-June to July). He attempted to reform the 1869 Constitution, envisioning Spain as a set of federal republics. This effort failed due to the intransigence of some federal Republicans.
- Nicolás Salmerón succeeded Pi y Margall, serving for one month. He implemented the Unitary Republic but resigned on moral grounds due to the death sentences imposed on many leaders.
- Emilio Castelar, the fourth president, established the Unitary Presidential Republic (September 1873 – January 1874). His government became more conservative. The Republic granted full powers to the Cortes to address the issues of Cuban independence and the Cantonal Revolution in Cartagena.