Politics of Spain

The politics of Spain operate under a framework established by the Constitution of 1978. This document defines Spain as a social and democratic sovereign country. In this system, national sovereignty is vested in the people. All powers of the state emanate from the citizens. Spain functions as a parliamentary monarchy. This means the nation has a monarch as the head of state. However, the head of government is the prime minister. The official title for the prime minister is the "President of the Government."

Executive power is carried out by the Government. This body includes the prime minister and deputy prime ministers. It also includes other ministers who form the Cabinet, or Council of Ministers. Legislative power belongs to the Cortes Generales, which is the Spanish Parliament. This is a bicameral system, meaning it has two houses. These houses are the Congress of Deputies and the Senate. The judiciary remains independent from both the executive and legislative branches. Judges and magistrates administer justice on behalf of the King. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the nation. For specific constitutional matters, a separate Constitutional Court holds jurisdiction.

The Spanish Parliament, or Cortes Generales, represents the Spanish people. The name "Cortes" has been used since Medieval Times. The word "General" was added in 1978 to show its nationwide character. The Congress of Deputies is the lower chamber of this parliament. It currently consists of 350 deputies. These members are elected through proportional representation. They serve four-year terms unless the parliament is dissolved. The Congress can initiate laws and ratify decree laws. It also elects the prime minister through a vote of investiture.

The King of Spain serves as the head of state. The current monarch is Felipe VI. He acts as a symbol of national unity and permanence. The King's role is to arbitrate and moderate the government. He represents Spain in international relations. Most of his duties are ceremonial and apolitical. The Constitution uses specific language to ensure he remains neutral. For example, it says certain tasks are "incumbent upon" the King. This avoids giving him personal powers or prerogatives. He must act according to the constitution and the laws.

Despite the ceremonial nature, the King has specific constitutional duties. He must sanction and promulgate laws passed by the legislature. He summons and dissolves the Cortes Generales and calls for elections. He also proposes a candidate for prime minister. The King appoints or removes the prime minister and ministers. He holds the supreme command of the Spanish Armed Forces. However, his military authority is mostly symbolic. A notable historical moment occurred on February 23, 1981. During a military coup, King Juan Carlos I used his influence to protect democracy. He addressed the nation on television to denounce the uprising.

The monarchy follows a hereditary system of succession. This follows the regular order of primogeniture. This rule means the firstborn child has the highest priority. Within a line, the closer degree of relation comes first. Males are given preference over females within the same degree. If all rightful orders of succession are exhausted, the Cortes Generales choose a successor. The current heir apparent is Princess Leonor de Borbón. The title for the heir is the Prince or Princess of Asturias. This system ensures a clear and legal transition of the Crown.

Spain uses a multi-party system for its elections. Since the 1990s, two parties have been most prominent. These are the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) and the People's Party (PP). Regional parties also hold significant power in the government. Examples include the Basque Nationalist Party and parties from Catalonia. In 2020, Spain saw a major change in government formation. The Second government of Pedro Sánchez was a nationwide coalition. It included the PSOE and Unidas Podemos. This was the first such coalition since the Second Spanish Republic.

Regional governance in Spain uses the "state of autonomies." This is a highly decentralized system of administration. It is ranked second in the world by the Regional Authority Index. This system was once called "asymmetrical federalism." It focused on "historic nationalities" like the Basque Country. Later, it evolved into the "coffee for everyone" model. This expanded powers to all regions across the country. Today, there are 17 autonomous communities and two autonomous cities. Each region has its own president and Council of Ministers. They are elected by and responsible to a unicameral legislative assembly.