Politics In Spain

Spain is one of the most prominent countries in the whole of Europe, and located at the western end of the Mediterranean Sea. It is a democracy with different autonomous regions. It is a developed nation and forms the world’s eighth-largest economy. Spain Economy and Politics gives a compact idea and facts about the economic and the political conditions of the country. Spain has been a parliamentary democracy since the celebration of the first general election in 1977, following the death of Franco in 1975. There are 2 main legislative bodies, both of which are elected usually every 4 to 5 years. The first is the lower house, officially called the Cortes. The second is the upper house, referred to as the Senado. There have been 3 main political parties in contemporary Spanish politics: the Centre Democratic Union (UCD), the Spanish Socialists (PSOE), and the Popular Party (PP). However, due to internal fighting within the party's coalition of 14 smaller parties, it disbanded in the early 1980s.

Spain Economy and Politics states that currently, the unemployment rate is about 7.6 % of the entire labor pool. The country now enjoys a steady economic growth. This has been possible at a rate of about 3.3% in the middle of the year 2005, followed by 3.5% in the first quarter, 3.7% in the second quarter, and 3.8% in the third quarter of the year 2006.

Spain is country with constitutional monarchy. The executive branch features a Council of Ministers who is controlled by the President of Government, as is suggested by the monarch and as is chosen by the National Assembly. The Legislative branch includes the Congress of Deputies as is chosen in the popular election and the Senate.
Currently Spain consists of various autonomous regions and thus performs as a Federation of Autonomous Communities. Spain Economy and Politics states that higher self-government is assigned to those autonomous governments which are ruled by the nationalist parties who were more outspoken in this aspect. The rest of the Autonomous governments are given a lower self-government. This was referred to as a co-constitutionalism. But presently, the discrepancies and the differences have been reduced to a great extent.
Spain is the most decentralized state in Europe. This is due to the different territories managing their own health and education systems, and also the public finances.
One of the buzz words of the political and social transformation that has taken place is “New” Spain.  Implicit in this, of course, is the idea of an “Old” Spain resisting change. Another term is "The Two Spain’s" indicating equally to the present situation between the "New" and "Old" Spain.

Some of the changes that created the "New Spain" were born out of reaction to the restrictions of the Franco years: sexual liberation, empty pews in churches, feminism, the swinging Madrid of the 1980s, women entering the work force or attending universities, a plunging birth rate etc.  Other changes legislated were the various autonomies with linguistic pluralism in some regions, the removal of Roman Catholicism as the official state religion, the right to divorce and to abortion. Under the socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapater further changes have been brought including enhanced women’s rights, a fast track to divorce and legalised gay marriage.
A major social impact on “New” Spain has come from the forgiveness granted in 2005 to 700.000 illegal immigrants, and from the waves of new immigrants arriving between 2001 and 2007, estimated at some 2.800.000.  A total of 4.800.000 immigrants are now calculated to be living in Spain, making up 15% of the population.
The clash between the “old” and the “new” is never far from the surface, even now. Periodic developments are reminders that the wounds have not healed totally.