Spain has a parliamentary monarchy system of government with a constitutional monarchy. The Spanish Constitution outlines three branches of government - the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The legislative branch is a bicameral parliament called the Cortes Generales consisting of the Congress of Deputies and the Senate. The executive branch is headed by a prime minister who selects ministers. The judicial branch is headed by the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court which ensure laws are constitutional.

2. Spain today

3. 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

4. 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

5. Organisation
• 17 Autonomous Communities governed by Statutes of Autonomy
and 2 Autonomous Cities
provinces
• Autonomous Communities
municipalities

6. 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)

7. Citizens’ rights and responsibilities
RIGHTS
• 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

8. 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

9. The State
• The Constitution sets out 3 powers:
• Legislative
• Executive carried out by different people and held in different institutions
• Judicial

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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)

16. 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

17. Thank you for your attention 