Politics Spain

1 politics

1.1 government
1.2 human rights
1.3 administrative divisions

1.3.1 autonomous communities
1.3.2 provinces , municipalities


1.4 foreign relations
1.5 military

politics



the royal palace in madrid

according democracy index of eiu, spain 1 of 19 full democracies in world.

the spanish constitution of 1978 culmination of spanish transition democracy. constitutional history of spain dates constitution of 1812. impatient slow pace of democratic political reforms in 1976 , 1977, spain s new king juan carlos, known formidable personality, dismissed carlos arias navarro , appointed reformer adolfo suárez prime minister. resulting general election in 1977 convened constituent cortes (the spanish parliament, in capacity constitutional assembly) purpose of drafting , approving constitution of 1978. after national referendum on 6 december 1978, 88% of voters approved of new constitution.

as result, spain composed of 17 autonomous communities , 2 autonomous cities varying degrees of autonomy constitution, nevertheless explicitly states indivisible unity of spanish nation. constitution specifies spain has no state religion , free practice , believe wish.

the spanish administration approved legislation in 2007 aimed @ furthering equality between genders in spanish political , economic life (gender equality act). however, in legislative branch, of may 2017 140 of 350 members of congress women (40%). places spain 12th on list of countries ranked proportion of women in lower house. in senate, there 101 women out of 263 (38.0%). gender empowerment measure of spain in united nations human development report 0.794, 12th in world.

government



congress of deputies, madrid

spain constitutional monarchy, hereditary monarch , bicameral parliament, cortes generales (general courts). executive branch consists of council of ministers of spain presided on prime minister, nominated , appointed monarch , confirmed congress of deputies following legislative elections. political custom established king juan carlos since ratification of 1978 constitution, king s nominees have been parties maintain plurality of seats in congress.

the legislative branch made of congress of deputies (congreso de los diputados) 350 members, elected popular vote on block lists proportional representation serve four-year terms, , senate (senado) 259 seats of 208 directly elected popular vote, using limited voting method, , other 51 appointed regional legislatures serve four-year terms.

head of state

king felipe vi, since 19 june 2014


head of government

prime minister of spain (presidente del gobierno, literally president of government): mariano rajoy brey, elected 20 november 2011.

deputy prime minister , minister presidency: soraya sáenz de santamaría.




cabinet

council of ministers (consejo de ministros) designated prime minister.

spain organisationally structured so-called estado de las autonomías ( state of autonomies ); 1 of decentralised countries in europe, along switzerland, germany , belgium; example, autonomous communities have own elected parliaments, governments, public administrations, budgets, , resources. health , education systems among others managed spanish communities, , in addition, basque country , navarre manage own public finances based on foral provisions. in catalonia, basque country, navarre , canary islands, full-fledged autonomous police corps replaces of state police functions (see mossos d esquadra, ertzaintza, policía foral/foruzaingoa , policía canaria).

human rights

the spanish constitution of 1978 protect spaniards , peoples of spain in exercise of human rights, cultures , traditions, languages , institutions .

according amnesty international (ai), government investigations of alleged police abuses lengthy , punishments light. violence against women problem, government took steps address.

spain provides 1 of highest degrees of liberty in world lgbt community. among countries studied pew research center in 2013, spain rated first in acceptance of homosexuality, 88% of society supporting gay community compared 11% not.

administrative divisions

the spanish state integrated 17 autonomous communities , 2 autonomous cities, both groups being highest or first-order administrative division in country. autonomous communities integrated provinces, of there 50 in total, , in turn, provinces integrated municipalities. in catalonia, 2 additional divisions exist, comarques (sing. comarca) , vegueries (sing. vegueria) both of have administrative powers; comarques being aggregations of municipalities, , vegueries being aggregations of comarques. concept of comarca exists in autonomous communities, however, unlike catalonia, these merely historical or geographical subdivisions.

autonomous communities

spain s autonomous communities first level administrative divisions of country. created after current constitution came effect (in 1978) in recognition of right self-government of nationalities , regions of spain . autonomous communities integrated adjacent provinces common historical, cultural, , economical traits. territorial organisation, based on devolution, literally known in spain state of autonomies .

the basic institutional law of each autonomous community statute of autonomy. statutes of autonomy establish name of community according historical , contemporary identity, limits of territories, name , organisation of institutions of government , rights enjoy according constitution.

the governments of autonomous communities must based on division of powers comprising:

a legislative assembly members must elected universal suffrage according system of proportional representation , in areas integrate territory represented;
a government council, executive , administrative functions headed president, elected legislative assembly , nominated king of spain;
a supreme court, under supreme court of spain, heads judiciary in autonomous community.

catalonia, galicia , basque country, identified nationalities, granted self-government through rapid process. andalusia took denomination in first statute of autonomy, though followed longer process stipulated in constitution rest of country. progressively, other communities in revisions statutes of autonomy have taken denomination in accordance historical , modern identities, such valencian community, canary islands, balearic islands, , aragon.

the autonomous communities have wide legislative , executive autonomy, own parliaments , regional governments. distribution of powers may different every community, laid out in statutes of autonomy, since devolution intended asymmetrical. 2 communities—the basque country , navarre—have full fiscal autonomy. aside of fiscal autonomy, nationalities—andalusia, basque country, catalonia, , galicia—were devolved more powers rest of communities, among them ability of regional president dissolve parliament , call elections @ time. in addition, basque country, catalonia , navarre have police corps of own: ertzaintza, mossos d esquadra , policía foral respectively. other communities have more limited forces or none @ all, policía autónoma andaluza in andalusia or bescam in madrid.

nonetheless, recent amendments existing statutes of autonomy or promulgation of new statutes altogether, have reduced asymmetry between powers granted nationalities , rest of regions.

finally, along 17 autonomous communities, 2 autonomous cities part of state of autonomies , first-order territorial divisions: ceuta , melilla. these 2 exclaves located in northern african coast.

provinces , municipalities

autonomous communities subdivided provinces, served territorial building blocks. in turn, provinces integrated municipalities. existence of both provinces , municipalities guaranteed , protected constitution, not statutes of autonomy themselves. municipalities granted autonomy manage internal affairs, , provinces territorial divisions designed carry out activities of state.

the current provincial division structure based—with minor changes—on 1833 territorial division javier de burgos, , in all, spanish territory divided 50 provinces. communities of asturias, cantabria, la rioja, balearic islands, madrid, murcia , navarre communities integrated single province, coextensive community itself. in these cases, administrative institutions of province replaced governmental institutions of community.

foreign relations


mariano rajoy in g-20 summit in mexico. spain permanent guest of g-20.



the ibero-american summit, in san salvador, 2008



palau reial de pedralbes, in barcelona, headquarters of union mediterranean.

after return of democracy following death of franco in 1975, spain s foreign policy priorities break out of diplomatic isolation of franco years , expand diplomatic relations, enter european community, , define security relations west.

as member of nato since 1982, spain has established participant in multilateral international security activities. spain s eu membership represents important part of foreign policy. on many international issues beyond western europe, spain prefers co-ordinate efforts eu partners through european political co-operation mechanisms.

spain has maintained special relations hispanic america , philippines. policy emphasises concept of ibero-american community, renewal of historically liberal concept of hispanidad or hispanismo , referred in english, has sought link iberian peninsula hispanic america through language, commerce, history , culture.

territorial disputes

spain claims gibraltar, 6-square-kilometre (2.3 sq mi) overseas territory of united kingdom in southernmost part of iberian peninsula. spanish town, conquered anglo-dutch force in 1704 during war of spanish succession on behalf of archduke charles, pretender spanish throne.

sahrawi arab democratic republic army. according united nations, spain administrative power of western sahara de iure.

the legal situation concerning gibraltar settled in 1713 treaty of utrecht, in spain ceded territory in perpetuity british crown stating that, should british abandon post, offered spain first. since 1940s spain has called return of gibraltar. overwhelming majority of gibraltarians oppose this, along proposal of shared sovereignty. un resolutions call on united kingdom , spain, both eu members, reach agreement on status of gibraltar.

the spanish claim makes distinction between isthmus connects rock spanish mainland on 1 hand, , rock , city of gibraltar on other. while rock , city ceded treaty of utrecht, spain asserts occupation of isthmus illegal , against principles of international law . united kingdom relies on de facto arguments of possession prescription in relation isthmus, there has been continuous possession [of isthmus] on long period .

another claim spain savage islands, claim not recognised portugal . spain claims rocks rather islands, therefore claiming there no portuguese territorial waters around disputed islands. on 5 july 2013, spain sent letter un expressing these views.

spain claims sovereignty on perejil island, small, uninhabited rocky islet located in south shore of strait of gibraltar. island lies 250 metres (820 ft) off coast of morocco, 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) ceuta , 13.5 kilometres (8.4 mi) mainland spain. sovereignty disputed between spain , morocco. subject of armed incident between 2 countries in 2002. incident ended when both countries agreed return status quo ante existed prior moroccan occupation of island. islet deserted , without sign of sovereignty.

besides perejil island, spanish-held territories claimed other countries two: morocco claims spanish cities of ceuta , melilla , plazas de soberanía islets off northern coast of africa; , portugal , other signatories of treaty of vienna(1815) , successor states not recognise spain s sovereignty on territory of olivenza in alentejo region of portugal annexed spain in 1801. portugal stance has been territory being de iure portuguese territory , de facto spanish.

military


aircraft carrier/assault ship juan carlos (l61), multirole fighter eurofighter typhoon, boeing ch-47 chinook, universal tank leopard 2

the armed forces of spain known spanish armed forces (fuerzas armadas españolas). commander-in-chief king of spain, felipe vi.

the spanish armed forces divided 3 branches:

army (ejército de tierra)
navy (armada)
air force (ejército del aire)