Spanish Socialist Governments 1982-1996: Democracy’s Rise
The PSOE Governments (1982-1996)
1982 Elections: PSOE’s Access to Power
The triumph of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) in the 1982 elections marked a turning point in Spain’s transition to democracy. The “On the other hand” slogan used by the Socialists reflected a general willingness to change the shape of politics in Spain. Other political parties practically admitted that the Socialists would win, and both the Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) and the Communist Party of Spain (PCE) were in crisis.
The PSOE won more than ten million votes, securing massive support from young people voting for the first time, the urban middle classes, half the Communist vote, much of the extreme left, and almost a third of the centrist vote.
The right, represented by Manuel Fraga’s Popular Alliance, won 26% of the votes, gaining support in certain sectors like the youth. However, they faced significant challenges, not just the distance from the PSOE but also the fact that their leadership was further to the right than their constituents, limiting their chances of winning the government.
The Center: The UCD experienced a total collapse, dropping to 7%, a clear sign of its decomposition. Its vote became marginal and residual.
The PCE saw its vote fall to less than half, leaving it with only four members.
Nationalists maintained a more stable vote.
This electoral earthquake had a greater impact on political parties than on Spanish society itself. Spaniards had not drastically changed their political self-identification, even if they were slightly more left-leaning in 1977. What had changed was that political parties had either lost half of their electorate or were far from meeting the theoretical power.
The 1982 elections led to a generational change at the head of state. Felipe Gonzalez, who had assumed leadership of his party in 1974, quickly became the most prominent socialist leader. He was always the connecting element of a party that combined the popular appeal of Alfonso Guerra with the technocratic-liberal origins of other important figures.
From a historical perspective, this long period of socialist government, marked by four consecutive election victories, can be defined as the consolidation of democracy in Spain.
The First Socialist Government (1982-1986)
The first socialist government did not need agreements with other political forces to govern, thanks to its strong congressional support. Among its most important members were Alfonso Guerra, Miguel Boyer, Narcis Serra, and Fernando Moran.
Its economic policy, led by successive Ministers of Economy and Finance, focused on openness and economic liberalization. The aim was to control inflation, one of the country’s main problems, and to facilitate foreign investment. However, it was unable to reduce unemployment; on the contrary, unemployment reached its highest levels. A difficult process of industrial restructuring was undertaken, involving the closure of many industries. The most notable was the restructuring of the unprofitable iron and steel industry. Additionally, there was controversy surrounding the expropriation of a holding company.
Regarding foreign policy, progress was made in integrating Spain into the international community: it joined the Council of Europe, NATO, and negotiations began for entry into the European Economic Community (EEC). The PSOE government abandoned its former isolationist and anti-American positions, leading it to call a referendum where it campaigned for remaining in the Atlantic Alliance. The referendum resulted in Spanish support for staying in NATO. This outcome removed barriers to Spain’s entry into the EEC, with the accession treaty signed on June 12, 1985, and actual entry on January 1, 1986.
These first four years were mainly devoted to issues related to the judiciary and individual rights, on the one hand, and educational reforms on the other. In July 1985, the first socialist government crisis occurred with the departure of Miguel Boyer and Fernando Moran. However, the 1986 elections once again gave the PSOE an absolute majority.