Spain
Spain is a mid-performing democracy and is one of the biggest economies in Europe. It successfully transitioned from a military dictatorship to a democracy in 1978 through a process of negotiation known as the Transición. Since then, the country has maintained stable democratic performance, despite challenges such as secessionism, terrorism, corruption scandals and economic crises. In the last five years, a secessionist challenge from the region of Catalonia and a more fragmented parliament have put additional pressure on the political system. Yet, the country has experienced notable improvements in the Absence of Corruption.
Spain’s recent history is marked by the negotiated political transition between 1975 and 1978 that transformed the country from a conservative military dictatorship into a full-fledged democracy. The process culminated in the approval of the Constitution and the return of democracy in 1978. While the Transición sought to make a clean break from the past, it failed to address several demands for justice and reconciliation from those oppressed during the dictatorship. The transition addressed regional tensions by awarding notable autonomy to regional governments. These arrangements aimed to recognize the historic national identities of the Basque Country, Catalonia and Galicia. Regional autonomy, however, did not prevent the continuation of terrorist activities by the Basque separatist group, E.T.A. Terrorism, together with the modernization of the economy and society and the construction of a welfare state, marked the development of the country until the 2010s.
In recent years, with the stagnation of rapid economic growth, especially since the economic crisis of 2008 and the abandonment of terrorism by the separatist group, E.T.A, the country and its political landscape has faced new challenges. National unity remains elusive, as some of the main political actors in Catalonia have challenged the central government by organizing a non-authorized referendum for independence in 2017. Moreover, widespread corruption scandals have undermined society’s trust in political institutions. The rise of new political parties, which represent a more diverse spectrum of ideologies in the country, has challenged the bipartisan party system that emerged during the transition, leading to its collapse and to a scenario in which coalitions are necessary to form governments at the regional and national levels. Currently, the national political landscape is much more fragmented, reflecting three main cleavages: national vs. regional identities, conservative vs. progressive ideologies and a rising one between the densely populated economic nodes on the coast and Madrid vs. the emptied central lands of the country (España vaciada).
Looking ahead, it will be important to watch the fragmented political landscape and rising polarization. The inability to reach a broad agreement to reform the judiciary’s governing body is one example of how fragmented politics and rising polarization might affect the quality of democracy in the country. Although many democratic institutions are strong in Spain, the country has not been spared from the rise of extremist ideologies. These threaten recent gains in Fundamental Rights. At the same time, Spain has been at the forefront of gender equality, passing landmark “only yes is yes” consent laws, a broad range of reproductive rights legislation and a transgender rights law. How these are implemented and how they impact the future of gender equality will be important to monitor.
Monthly Event Reports
January 2024 | Parliament passes historic constitutional amendments changing language on disabilities
Parliament approved constitutional amendments for the third time in the history of the 1978 Constitution (adopted after the Franco dictatorship). The changes remove the term “handicapped” (“disminuido”) from Article 49 and replace it with “persons with a disability,” a long-sought demand of disability rights advocates, including the Spanish Committee of Representatives of People with Disabilities (CERMI). The amendments additionally introduce a commitment by public administration to pursue policies that “guarantee the complete autonomy and social inclusion of people with disabilities.” President of CERMI, Luis Cayo Pérez Bueno, celebrated the amendments, and stated that they were made “hand-in-hand with civil society, social movements, and people with disabilities, and their families.” The final vote in the Senate on 26 January resulted in 254 votes in favour and three votes against from Vox party MPs, far exceeding the three-fifths majority required for constitutional reform.
November 2023 | Protests against law providing amnesty to Catalan separatists
A controversial amnesty deal was resisted by mass demonstrations across the country, including a gathering of around 170,000 people in Madrid and riots in front of the Socialist Party (PSOE) headquarters. The agreement, finalised between Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Catalan pro-independence party Junts, offers amnesty to Catalan separatists as a concession to ensure PSOE could remain in power following inconclusive July elections. A bill pending in Parliament would require courts to end the prosecution of nearly 400 members of the Catalan separatist movement, including the leaders of the secession attempt in 2017. The amnesty does not apply to particularly egregious crimes, including torture or serious cases of inhumane treatment. The European Commission is currently analysing the draft legislation, including its potential impacts on the rule of law.
September 2023 | Catalan, Galician and Basque used in Parliament for first time
Catalan, Galician and Basque were officially used in the lower house of Parliament for the first time on 19 September, after the Congress of the Deputies approved changes to Congressional regulations, with 180 votes in favour and 170 against. Live translation and earphones were provided to all parliamentarians. The change comes as acting prime minister Pedro Sánchez tries to secure the support of the Catalan pro-independence parties for forming a new government. Far-right Vox and the conservative People’s Party (PP), who support centralisation, protested the use of regional languages in the lower house with walkouts and refusals to wear the earphones. Historically, all regional languages were censored during the Franco regime. Since then, they have been given official status alongside Castilian Spanish in their respective regions. Today, an estimated 9.1 million people speak Catalan, 2.6 million speak Galician and 1.1 million speak Basque.
August 2023 | Government approves new agency for the supervision of AI
The Council of Ministers approved the statute of the Spanish Agency for the Supervision of Artificial Intelligence (AI) (AESIA), becoming the first European country to establish a dedicated regulatory agency to ensure the responsible use of AI. The body will be attached to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation. The European Union is currently debating legislation which will require EU member states to form national supervisory authorities responsible for monitoring the enforcement of AI regulations. AESIA will be independent from the government and tasked with overseeing the use of AI in both the private and public sectors, with the ability to sanction harmful uses of AI. AlgorithmWatch has reported that the government failed to adequately include civil society when conceptualizing the agency and its functions, after civil society organisations called on the government to draw on their knowledge and experiences in a joint letter in September 2022.
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