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Spain

https://www.idea.int/democracytracker/

June 2024

Agreement reached to renew judicial service commission, ending five-year stalemate
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On 25 June, the government and main opposition party, the Popular Party (PP), agreed to the renewal of the 20 members of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ), the highest governing body in charge of appointments, promotion and transfers of judges, and of ensuring the independence of courts. The mandate of existing CGPJ members expired over five years ago, but since Parliament was not able to approve replacements with the required three-fifths majority, they have continued to serve in their roles. Additionally, the parties agreed to initiate reform of the Organic Law of the Judiciary to strengthen the independence of judges and public prosecutors. Finally, the new members of the CGPJ have been given six months to propose a new method for appointing members of the CGPJ in the future, responding to a recommendation from the European Commission in recent Spanish Rule of Law reports. The European Commission helped to mediate the negotiations for renewal of the CGPJ since January 2024.

Sources: Euronews (1), Euronews (2), European Commission (1), European Commission (2), EFE, El Confidencial

May 2024

Parliament passes controversial law granting amnesty to Catalan separatists

On 30 May, Parliament narrowly approved an amnesty bill, which, once implemented, entails a release from liability for separatists involved in the 2017 Catalan secession attempt. The amnesty does not apply to cases of particularly heinous crimes such as torture, terrorism or serious inhumane treatment, and must be applied by courts on a case-by-case basis. The law passed with 177 votes in favour and 172 against. The amnesty law, which is expected to apply to an estimated 400 pro-independence activists and former public officials, has led to large-scale protests and criticism from opposition parties. A review of the law by the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe for compliance with the Rule of Law recommended greater precision in the law’s application to ensure legal certainty and cautioned against inadvertently terminating cases unrelated to the social tensions. The Venice Commission noted that the bill had followed an urgent procedure with limited public consultation, and recommended that passage of the bill require a higher qualified majority in Congress.  

Sources: The Venice Commission, El País (1), El País (2), Euronews, International IDEA, the Congress of Deputies, Foreign Policy, NPR

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.

 Sources: Euronews, The Guardian, Boletín Oficial del Estado, ConstitutionNet, CERMI (1), CERMI (2)   

Supreme Court finds 2021 returns of migrant children to Morocco illegal

On 22 January, the Supreme Court ruled that Spanish authorities acted illegally in 2021 when they returned unaccompanied Moroccan minors, who had crossed the border into the Spanish autonomous city of Ceuta. In May 2021, an estimated 12,000 people circumvented the border fences to enter Ceuta (including approximately 1,500 minors). The Court found the returns contravened the procedure for the repatriation of foreign minors set out in Spanish Immigration Law, and constituted collective expulsion, prohibited by the European Convention on Human Rights. The ruling also determined that Spanish authorities violated the minors’ rights to physical and moral integrity. Spanish officials had argued that a 2007 bilateral agreement with Morocco provided the basis for the decision to return the minors and noted the exceptional circumstances of the 2021 border crossing. The ruling clarified that the 2007 agreement does not constitute sufficient grounds for the return of migrant children.

Sources: Poder Judicial, Pressenza, InfoMigrants, AP

November 2023

Protests against law providing amnesty to Catalan separatists
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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.

Sources: Euractiv, El País (1), El País (2), NPR, Financial Times, France24, European Parliament

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Global ranking per category of democratic performance in 2023

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Representation
26/173
Rights
12/173
Rule of Law
22/173
Participation
35/173
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Basic Information

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Population Tooltip
47 326 690
System of government
Parliamentary system
Head of government
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez (since 2018)
Head of government party
PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party)
Electoral system for lower or single chamber
List Proportional Representation
Women in lower or single chamber
44.3%
Women in upper chamber
42.3%
Last legislative election
2023
Effective number of political parties Tooltip
6.07
Head of state
King Felipe VI
Selection process for head of state
Hereditary or election by hereditary state rulers
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) date
22/01/2020
Latest Universal Periodic Review (UPR) percentage of recommendations supported
91.64%
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Human Rights Treaties

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State Party State party
Signatory Signatory
No Action No action
United Nations Human Right Treaties
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
State Party
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
State Party
International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
State Party
Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women
State Party
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment
State Party
Convention on the Rights of the Child
State Party
International Convention on Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
No Action
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance 
State Party
International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
State Party
International Labour Organisation Treaties
Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention
State Party
Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention
State Party
Equal Remuneration Convention
State Party
Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
State Party
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention
State Party
Convention concerning Minimum Age for Admission to Employment
State Party
Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention
State Party
Regional Treaties
Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol No. 4 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol No. 6 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol No. 7 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol No. 12 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
Protocol No. 13 to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
State Party
in
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Performance by category over the last 6 months

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Representation neutral Rule of law
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Representation neutral Participation
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Global State of Democracy Indices

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Explore the indices
Representation
Representation
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/1
high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rights
Rights
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high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Rule of Law
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high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4
Participation
Participation
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high 0.7-1.0
mid 0.4-0.7
low 0.0-0.4

Factors of Democratic Performance Over Time

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