Politics of Spain

Spain is a constitutional monarchy governed under the Constitution of 1978. The hereditary monarch, who is the head of state, may ratify laws, dissolve the legislature, and propose candidates for the office of the President of the Government (prime minister), he is also head of the armed forces. The prime minister is the head of government. The king proposes the prime minister, who must be approved by the legislature. Spain has a bicameral legislature, the Cortes Generales (General Courts), or National Assembly. Members of the 350-seat Congress of Deputies are elected by popular vote. Of the 259 members of the Senate, 208 are directly elected, while 51 are appointed by regional legislatures.

Head of State
KING JUAN CARLOS I
Head of Government
President of the Government (Prime Minister)	JOSÉ LUIS RODRÍGUEZ ZAPATERO
First Vice President of the Government	ALFREDO PÉREZ RUBALCABA
Second Vice President of the Government	ELENA SALGADO MÉNDEZ
Third Vice President of the Government	MANUEL CHAVES GONZÁLEZ
Council of Ministers
Minister of Presidency	RAMÓN JÁUREGUI ATONDO
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation	TRINIDAD JIMÉNEZ GARCÍA-HERRERA
Minister of Justice	FRANCISCO CAAMAÑO DOMÍNGUEZ
Minister of Defense	CARME CHACÓN PIQUERAS
Ministry of the Interior	ALFREDO PÉREZ RUBALCABA
Minister of Economy and Finance	ELENA SALGADO MÉNDEZ
Minister of Public Works and Transport	JOSÉ BLANCO LÓPEZ
Minister of Education	ÁNGEL GABILONDO PUJOL
Minister of Labor and Immigration	VALERIANO GÓMEZ SÁNCHEZ
Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism	MIGUEL SEBASTIÁN GASCÓN
Minister of Natural Environment, Rural and Marine Environment	ROSA AGUILAR RIVERO
Minister of Culture	ÁNGELES GONZÁLEZ-SINDE REIG
Minister of Health and Social Policy	LEIRE PAJÍN IRAOLA
Minister of Housing	BEATRIZ CORREDOR SIERRA
Minister for Territorial Coordination	MANUEL CHAVES GONZÁLEZ
Minister of Science and Innovation	CRISTINA GARMENDIA MENDIZÁBAL

General election, 2008

Politic parties in the Congress

National:
Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE) (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party),
Partido Popular (PP) (Popular Party),
Izquierda Unida (IU) (United Left),
Unión Progreso y Democracia (UPyD) (Union, Progress and Democracy)

Regional:
Partit dels Socialistes de Catalunya (PSC) (Catalan Socialist Party),
Partido Nacionalista Vasco (PNV) (Basque Nationalist Party),
Convergència i Unió (CiU) (Convergence and Union),
Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC) (Republican Left of Catalonia),
Coalición Canaria (CC) (Canarian Coalition),
Bloque Nacionalista Galego (BNG) (Galician Nationalist Bloc),
Iniciativa per Catalunya Verds (ICV) (Initiative for Catalonia Greens),
Unión del Pueblo Navarro (UPN) (Navarrese People's Union),
Nafarroa Bai (NaBai) (Navarre Yes),
Esquerra Unida i Alternativa (EUiA) (United Left and Alternative),
Partido Aragonés (PAR) (Aragonese Party),
Partit Socialista de Mallorca - Entesa Nacionalista (PSM - EN) (Majorca Socialist Party)

Recent politic history

The constitutional monarchy was restored after General Franco's death in 1975, who was the Head of State since 1939 (end of the Civil War). The Constitution of 1978 established the Constitutional monarchy as form of government and the election of the Prime Minister and the General Courts every four years. February the 23rd of 1981 rebel elements of the security forces assaulted the Parliament and tried to impose a militar government. However, the majority of the militar forces remained loyal to King Juan Carlos, who used his personal authority to put down the coup d'état.

In October 1982, the PSOE led by Felipe Gonzalez, won absolute majority in the Parliament and Senate. During that period, Spain joined the NATO and the European Community.

In March 1996, the PP with José María Aznar in front, won the legislative elections. Aznar gave more powers to the autonomous communities and liberalize the economy with a program of privatization, reforming the labor market and promoted measures to increase competition in some markets. During Aznar's first term in office, Spain integrated fully into the European institutions. During this period, Spain participated with the United States and other NATO allies, in military operations in the former Yugoslavia. Aznar and the PP won reelection in March 2000, obtaining absolute majority.

After the terrorist attacks in the U.S. on September 11, 2001, Aznar became a key ally in the fight against terrorism. Spain supported the military action against the Taliban in Afghanistan and played a leading role within the European Union (EU) to promote greater international cooperation against terrorism. Aznar's government supported the involvement in Iraq.

The parliamentary elections on March 14, 2004 came just three days after a devastating terrorist attack aboard four commuter trains in the Madrid Atocha railway station. PSOE won the elections and its leader, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, took office on April 17, 2004. Zapatero's government has supported coalition efforts in Afghanistan and withdrew Spanish troops from Iraq.

Autonomous governments

The Constitution of 1978 authorized the creation of autonomous governments. In 1985, 17 autonomous communities negotiated statutes of autonomy with the central government. In 1979, the first elections were held in the Basque Country and Catalonia. Since then, autonomous governments have been created in the rest of the 17 regions. The central government is delegating powers to autonomous governments, which eventually will have full responsibility for matters of health and education and other social programs.