Spain today

The Constitution

• It was debated in the Cortes Generales

• It was endorsed by a referendum

• King Juan Carlos I sanctioned it on 27 December 1978

King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain

Government• Spain is a democratic state and a parliamentary monarchy

• A King – a symbolic Head of State (can’t pass laws and he is symbolically Commander-in-Chief of the Spanish Armed Forces)

• The Crown is hereditary

Organisation• 17 Autonomous Communities governed by Statutes of Autonomy

and 2 Autonomous Cities

provinces• Autonomous Communities municipalities

Symbols• The flag• The coat of arms• The national anthem (La Marcha Real)

• Castilian Spanish – the official language (other languages are granted official status in their Autonomous Communities)

Citizens’ rights and responsibilitiesRIGHTS• Equality • Freedom of speech• Peaceful protests• Healthcare and education• Legal protection• Freedom to work and travel• Adequate housing

RESPONSIBILITIES• Pay taxes• Respect the law• Be tolerant towards other

people’s religion, culture, gender, or race• Take care of the environment• Respect public services

Elections• Right to vote – Spanish citizens over the age of 18 • Elections are held every 4 years (under certain circumstances even

earlier)• People vote by secret ballot

• Voters take a ballot paper they put a mark next to the political party they vote for they put the paper in an envelope

The State

• The Constitution sets out 3 powers:

• Legislative• Executive carried out by different people and held in different institutions• Judicial

Legislative Power• Parliament in Spain (Cortes Generales) - represents all Spanish citizens• It’s divided into 2 legislative chambers – it’s bicameral

The lower chamber: The Congress of Deputies (El Congreso de los Diputados)

The upper chamber: The Senate (El Senado)

• both chambers of Parliament make joint decisions on budgets and controlling the Executive

The Congress of Deputies • The members are called

deputies (diputados)• They approve and veto

laws• They belong to different

political parties • their number depends on

the number of votes they receive

The Senate

• The members are called senators (senadores)

• They make sure the Autonomous Communities follow the Constitution

• They can pass laws but cannot veto them

Executive Power• The party that gets the most

votes in the elections forms the Government

• The members of the Congress select the Prime minister

the head of the Government chooses the ministers who will help him/her

The Palace of Moncloa is the residence for the Spanish Prime Minister

There are 12 ministries in Spain (they propose ideas that are voted on in Parliament)

• Health, Social Services and Equality• Education, Culture and Sport• Employment and Social Security• Economic Affairs and

Competitiveness• Treasury and Public

Administrations• Agriculture, Food and

Environmental Affairs

• Defence• Interior• Justice• Public Works• Industry, Energy and Tourism• Foreign Affairs and Cooperation

Judicial Power• It belongs to courts and tribunals

ensure that laws are obeyed• These are composed of judges and magistrates

• The highest judicial bodies are the Supreme Court (El Tribunal Supremo) and the Constitutional Court (El Tribunal Constitucional)

The Supreme Court• Can accept or reject sentences

passed in the lower courts• Can start legal proceedings

against ministers, senators and the Prime Minister if necessary

The Constitutional Court • Decides whether laws are in

accordance with the Constitution• Can reject decisions by the Supreme

Court if human rights have been violated

Thank you for your attention