Government type:
parliamentary monarchy
Capital:
Madrid
Administrative divisions:
19 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular -
comunidad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares (Balearic
Islands), Ceuta, Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria, Castilla-La
Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Communidad Valencian,
Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Melilla, Murcia, Navarra,
Pais Vasco (Basque Country)
note: three small Spanish possessions are located off the coast of
Morocco: Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de
la Gomera; Ceuta and Melilla gained limited autonomous status in 1994
Independence:
the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independent
kingdoms prior to the Moslem occupation that began in the early 8th
Century A. D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small Christian
redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost immediately,
culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this event completed
the unification of several kingdoms and is traditionally considered
the forging of present-day Spain
National holiday:
Hispanic Day, 12 October
Constitution:
6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978
Legal system:
civil law system, with regional applications; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975); Heir
Apparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January 1968
head of government: President of the Government Jose Maria AZNAR
Lopez (since 5 May 1996); First Vice President (and Minister of
Economy) Rodrigo RATO Figaredo (since 4 September 2003) and Second
Vice President (and Minister of the Presidency) Javier ARENAS (since
4 September 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president
note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme
consultative organ of the government
election results: Jose Maria AZNAR Lopez (PP) elected president;
percent of National Assembly vote - 44.54%; note - the Popular Party
(PP) obtained an absolute majority of seats in both the Congress of
Deputies and the Senate as a result of the March 2000 elections
elections: the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
majority coalition is usually proposed president by the monarch and
elected by the National Assembly; election last held 12 March 2000
(next to be held NA March 2004); vice presidents appointed by the
monarch on the proposal of the president
Legislative branch:
bicameral; General Courts or National Assembly or Las Cortes
Generales consists of the Senate or Senado (259 seats - 208 members
directly elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed by the
regional legislatures to serve four-year terms) and the Congress of
Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; members are
elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional
representation to serve four-year terms)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PP 44.6%, PSOE
34.1%, CiU 4.2%, PNV 1.5%, CC 1.1%, PIL 0%; seats by party - PP 127,
PSOE 61, CiU 8, PNV 6, CC 5, PIL 1; Congress of Deputies - percent
of vote by party - PP 44.5%, PSOE 34%, CiU 4.2%, IU 5.4%, PNV 1.5%,
CC 1%, BNG 1.3%; seats by party - PP 183, PSOE 125, CiU 15, IU 8,
PNV 7, CC 4, BNG 3, other 5
elections: Senate - last held 12 March 2000 (next to be held NA
March 2004); Congress of Deputies - last held 12 March 2000 (next to
be held NA March 2004)