Spain’s Transition to Democracy: 1977-1982 & Constitution
Spain’s Transition to Democracy: Reform and Resistance (1977-1982)
The 1978 Constitution and Spanish Autonomy
The period known as the “political transition” refers to the process of dismantling the Franco dictatorship, culminating in the establishment of a democratic regime as expressed in the 1978 Constitution. The starting point was the inauguration of Juan Carlos I after Franco’s death in November 1975.
One faction within the Franco regime, favoring openness, believed reform was necessary to meet social demands and fully integrate the country into the Western world. The hardliners, however, intended to perpetuate the dictatorship using all available repressive means. Meanwhile, opposition forces to the regime coalesced and mobilized in defense of a “democratic rupture,” advocating for a provisional government and constituent elections. Simultaneously, social unrest spread throughout the country, driven by labor and political grievances.
After the failure of Arias Navarro, Adolfo Suarez was appointed Prime Minister in June 1976. In November 1976, the Franco-era Cortes approved the Political Reform Act, paving the way for democratization. Put to a referendum in December 1976, the Act received overwhelming support, forcing the opposition to rethink its strategy and abandon its project of rupture. Suarez initiated the legalization of political parties (including the PCE) and trade unions. He convened the first general elections in June 1977, which were won by the UCD (Unión de Centro Democrático), the party created by Suarez. The main opposition party emerged as the PSOE, led by Felipe González, at the expense of the Communists.
The new Cortes began a constitutional process, resulting in the adoption of the Constitution of 1978 (the current constitution), characterized by consensus among the major parliamentary political forces. The main features of this constitution include:
- The definition of Spain as a “social state of law.”
- A parliamentary monarchy.
- A comprehensive bill of rights and freedoms.
- Recognition of the right to autonomy for the “nationalities and regions” of Spain.
Since 1977, interim autonomy arrangements had been created where representatives had requested it (Catalonia, Basque Country, and Galicia). Following the adoption of the Constitution, a process was initiated for all regions to access autonomy. The Parliament approved the statutes, which were then ratified by referendum in their respective territories. In the case of Navarre, the procedure was different because it started from a pre-existing Foral regime predating the Constitution itself. The first statute adopted was that of Catalonia in 1979, followed by the Basque Country, Galicia, and Andalusia. Later, the statutes of all 17 autonomous communities were completed, organizing the new State of Autonomies as provided in Title VIII of the Constitution.
One crucial factor during the Transition was the international economic crisis triggered by rising oil prices, which caused business closures, rising unemployment, and runaway inflation in Spain. This created a climate of social unrest that influenced the political transition process. To cope with the crisis, the Moncloa Pacts were signed in 1977, with the backing of major political, business, and labor actors. These pacts adopted a series of measures to try to control inflation and equitably share the costs of the crisis.
In March 1979, the UCD won again in the general election. However, in both the municipal elections (April 1979) and in the Basque Country and Catalonia, opposition forces (left and nationalists) achieved victory. Divisions within the ruling party and the leadership style of Suarez led to his resignation in January 1981, after surviving a socialist censure motion the previous year. During the process of electing a new president of the government, Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo, the 23-F coup occurred, which failed after the intervention of the King, who denounced the military uprising. The weakness of Calvo Sotelo’s government led to elections in October 1982, where Felipe González’s PSOE obtained an absolute majority. Many historians consider this moment as the true end point of the political transition.