The rebirth of a nation...

 

Juan Carlos de Borbón, then Prince of Spain, makes his acceptance speech to the Francoist Cortes upon being proclaimed King of Spain, 22 November 1975.

Although many in the regime, particularly the military, believed that the Prince would uphold his oath to continue the late General Franco's regime, within 20 months Spain would be holding its first fair and free elections for over 40 years.

This is the story of the Voices of the Transition.

The Spain of today is a very different place to the Spain of 1975. Membership of the European Union, the Eurozone and NATO are all taken for granted. Spain is a valued member of these organisations, and it helps to play its part in global affairs. The Head of State, King Juan Carlos, is a highly respected monarch who commands some of the highest approval ratings among European royalty. So far, so good. However, unlike most other members of the EU and NATO, Spain has had to struggle, bend and tip-toe lightly to take its place among the democratic European nations.

In 1975, Spain was a country in the middle of economic paralysis, compounded by a weak government and the brutal excesses of an aged, dying dictator. General strikes with a political edge, a bloody campaign of subversion by Basque separatists, bomb attacks by left and right terror squads and a hardcore 'bunker' behind the dictator opposing even the slightest change all added to the political melting pot of mid-1970s Spain. After the death of General Francisco Franco, the victor of the 1936-1939 Civil War and ruler of Spain for 40 years, much of the political class and the population at large were fearful of the future. It was due to the courage of many that the pact of forgetfulness (el pacto de olvidar) would take hold and the nation would return to democracy. However, the risks and gambles, both physical and political, taken by King Juan Carlos, Adolfo Suárez and others displayed an acumen and political deftness that is difficult to match. The twists and turns of how they steered Spain from dictatorship to democracy is documented in the following pages, and in many respects, Voices of the Transition is a tribute to them.

Site last updated - 4 May 2008

 

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