Transcript
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
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