Autonomous Communities in Spain: Formation & Powers
The Rise of Autonomous Communities in Spain
With the new model of organization of the state, multiple centers of power appeared in Spanish territory. As declared in Title VIII of the Constitution, Spain is composed of various nationalities and regions with the ability to make policy decisions. The autonomous regions are provinces or groups of provinces that access self-government, assuming certain functions and powers through the adoption of their respective statutes.
Division of Powers Between Central and Regional Governments
The central government reserves exclusive competence over International Relations, Defense, the military, and the monetary and finance system. Although, under Article 150, the State Communities can delegate some of their functions. For their part, the Autonomous Communities may assume, from the outset, matters of planning, culture, tourism, roads, transport, fisheries, education, police, and environmental protection, through a process of devolution.
Financial Resources of Autonomous Regions
The autonomous regions have their own financial resources to manage freely. These are financed by:
- Taxes transferred by the central government
- Surcharges on national taxes
- Fees that they can create themselves
To safeguard the principle of solidarity between the Autonomous Communities, the Constitution establishes a Compensation Fund for Economic and attempts to correct imbalances and neutralize interregional inequalities.
Two Paths to Autonomy: Articles 143 and 151
The Constitution provides two procedures for gaining autonomy: Article 143 and Article 151. The difference is that:
- Article 151 (Fast Track): Functions not expressly reserved to the State can be undertaken by the Community immediately.
- Article 143 (Slow Path): Requires a period of five years to run, after which the statute can be reformed to include more functions.
Thus, the historical nationalities—Catalonia, the Basque Country, and Galicia—are on a fast track and with greater powers (under Article 151). Andalusia also endorsed this way, thanks to the request of most of its councils, and it was ratified by a referendum on February 28, 1980. Navarre’s situation is peculiar, in compliance with provincial tradition. The other regions would be governed by section 143, whose application delays the granting of autonomy and assumes a slower transfer of competencies from the central administration.
The Formation of Autonomous Communities (1979-1983)
Between December 18, 1979, when the first Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia and the Basque Country was approved, and February 1983, all regions were formed into Autonomous Communities. The last two statutes of autonomy have been in Ceuta and Melilla. In Valencia, self-government was granted on July 1, 1982, when the Statute of Autonomy was adopted. Institutions are established to govern the autonomous community, defining the powers of governments and may take those matters reserved to the State, and establishing a compensation fund for investment costs in order to correct economic imbalances between different territories.
Political Tensions and the Ministry of Territorial Administration
The autonomous process generated strong tensions within the Spanish political situation. On the one hand, the press and right-wing groups continually denounced the risks of fragmentation of Spain, inciting the army to halt the process. Moreover, in many regions, a growing sense of outrage arose at the privileges of the historical communities. The complexity of the situation led to the creation of a Ministry of Territorial Administration, which, since 1979, has been responsible for managing the transfer of powers to the autonomous territories.
Conclusion: A Transformed Spain
The modification of the territorial organization of the state was a fact. Between 1979 and 1983, Spain had become an autonomous state, consisting of 17 communities, plus the special cases of Ceuta and Melilla (which would agree to autonomy in 1994), all with their own parliaments and institutions and with ample capacity for self-government, especially in the case of the so-called historical nationalities.