Popular Front in Spain: 1936 Elections & Civil War
The Popular Front and the Path to Civil War
5. The Popular Front During the 1930s, a political union of liberal and left-wing forces consolidated in Europe to counter the increasingly menacing threat of fascism. These broad coalitions were known as Popular Fronts. For the elections of February 1936, a Popular Front was formed in Spain, comprising Republicans (IR, UR), Socialists (PSOE, UGT), and Communists.
The Popular Front’s program was primarily reformist, excluding nationalizations. It can be summarized as follows:
- Amnesty for political prisoners
- Reprisals for past injustices
- Reform of social legislation and education
The right-wing campaign began disjointed. However, they soon recognized the need for alliances. In some regions, Monarchists (Alfonsinos and Carlists) presented a united front with the CEDA, Agrarians, and others, forming the National Front, although this was not a nationwide phenomenon. The Spanish Falange presented its own candidates.
A) The February 1936 Elections
The election results foreshadowed the division of Spain that would lead to the Civil War. While the Popular Front secured a victory in terms of votes, it achieved a comfortable parliamentary majority. The right-wing parties had strong results in the two Castiles, Navarre, and Aragon. The left, on the other hand, obtained the most support in large cities, coastal provinces, and territories with nationalist sentiments.
The new government was formed by the Republican Left (Izquierda Republicana and Unión Republicana), as stipulated in the Popular Front’s program. The Socialists were excluded, leaving the government in the hands of parties that had received relatively little support. The government was chaired by Casares Quiroga until July 19th, while Manuel Azaña was appointed President, replacing Niceto Alcalá Zamora. This controversial replacement further weakened the government, as Casares Quiroga lacked Azaña’s strong personality.
B) Towards the Civil War
The new government resumed the reforms of the first Republican biennium, especially agrarian reform. The impatience of the farmers led them to carry out land occupations that the ministry was later forced to legalize. The CNT, for its part, demanded a 36-hour workweek and the expropriation of farms larger than 50 hectares. This led to lockouts, capital flight, and an increase in terrorism, both from the extreme right and leftist groups.
Under these circumstances, it seemed evident that a military uprising against the government was imminent. The government reacted by transferring General Mola to Navarre and General Franco to the Canary Islands, measures that demonstrated the government’s weakness. It also feared a revolutionary outbreak. On election night, Franco had proposed to Gil Robles the declaration of a “state of war,” but the Minister of War did not accept it.
In March, a group of generals (Mola, Saliquet, Varela), to whom Franco would join at the last moment, agreed to “an uprising that would restore order.” Mola was given the leadership of this operation. The choice of date was heavily influenced by the murder of Calvo Sotelo by a group of Assault Guards. Thus, on the evening of July 17th, the garrison in Morocco revolted, initiating a coup that, while failing in many areas of Spain, would escalate into a long and devastating civil war.