Report Outline
Tensions in Twilight of Franco Era
Franco's Efforts to Assure Continuity
Perspectives for Transfer of Power
Special Focus
Tensions in Twilight of Franco Era
Effect in Spain of New Portuguese Liberalization
The recent overthrow of a 40-year dictatorship in Portugal has once again focused attention in neighboring Spain on how long the repressive regime maintained by Gen. Francisco Franco will survive his passing. Spain today is a society obsessed with what may happen when Franco, 81, dies. In a sense, history has already bypassed him. It is now 35 years since the end of the Civil War and to the younger generation Franco has become almost irrelevant to their political and economic hopes.
The Spanish have been looking enviously at the new political freedom enjoyed by their Iberian cousins. The liberalization of Portugal since the April 25 military coup has been reported in great detail by the Spanish press. By comparison, moves toward reform in Spain appear painfully slow. Carlos Arias Navarro, the new prime minister appointed Jan. 2 by Franco after the assassination of Luis Carrero Blanco, has made four firm promises regarding Spain's evolution toward a more democratic system.
In a 75-minute televised speech to the Cortes (National Assembly) on Feb. 12, Arias pledged that: (1) All mayors and senior local officials will be elected instead of appointed as at present; (2) A new decree, to be invoked before June 30, will reform the Cortes and make it more representative; (3) The state-controlled trade union organization, the Sindicatos, will be reformed to give the workers more bargaining power and acknowledge the right to strike; (4) A measure will be introduced to permit “political associations” which would encourage the development of democratic debate in Spain. |
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