Spain is organized into 17 autonomous communities and 2 autonomous cities according to its 1978 constitution. The constitution established a democratic parliamentary monarchy with separation of powers and sovereignty residing in the people. It specifies that Spain is territorially organized into municipalities, provinces, and autonomous communities. Each autonomous community has its own statutes but all Spanish people have equal rights across the country.

1. UNIT 1.
HOW IS THE SPANISH STATE
ORGANISED?

2. INITIAL QUESTIONS
• How many Autonomous Communities are
there in Spain?
• How many provinces are there in Spain?
• Do you know the name of some Autonomous
Community with only one province?
• Do you know what is a Constitution?
• When was the current Spanish Constitution
approved?

3. 1. POLITICAL MAP OF SPAIN.

4. • Spain is a country located on the south-western tip of
continental Europe.
• It lies between two large bodies of water: the Atlantic
Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
• Most of its territory is located on the Iberian Peninsula,
although it also consists of two archipelagos (the Islas
Canarias and the Islas Baleares) and two cities in North
Africa: Ceuta and Melilla. Besides, other smaller islands are
part of Spanish territory: the Chafarinas Islands, the Alhucemas
Islands and Alborán Island.
• Spain is organised into 17 Autonomous Communities
and 2 autonomous cities. The Autonomous
Communities are divided into provinces (50), which are
made up of municipalities.

5. AUTONOMUS COMMUNITIES

6. WHY IS THE SPANISH STATE ORGANIZED IN THIS WAY?
 Because of the Spanish Constitution of 1978. It regulates the form of the state and
the main characteristics of the territorial organisation.
 Title VIII: The territorial organization of the State. Principles around which the
territorial organization of Spain is established. Some articles:
– “Artículo 137: El Estado se organiza territorialmente en municipios, en provincias y en las
Comunidades Autónomas que se constituyan […]”.
– “Artículo 139: Todos los españoles tienen los mismos derechos y obligaciones en cualquier
parte del territorio del Estado […]”.
– “Artículo 141: La provincia es una entidad local con personalidad jurídica propia,
determinada por la agrupación de municipios […]”.
– “Artículo 155: Si una Comunidad Autónoma no cumpliere las obligaciones
que la Constitución u otras leyes le impongan, o actuare de forma que atente
gravemente al interés general de España, el Gobierno, previo requerimiento al
Presidente de la Comunidad Autónoma y, en el caso de no ser atendido, con la
aprobación por mayoría absoluta del Senado, podrá adoptar las medidas
necesarias para obligar a aquélla al cumplimiento forzoso de dichas
obligaciones o para la protección del mencionado interés general”.

7. THE SPANISH CONSTITUTION OF 1978
The Constitution: is the fundamental law of the state, which establishes
its basic principles and laws. In Spain, it was approved in 1978.

8. Approval of the Spanish Constitution
• 31/10/1978: approved by
Courts
• 06/12/1978: ratified by the
Spanish people.
• 27/12/1978: signed by the
monarch.
• 29/12/1978: published BOE.

9. BASIC PRINCIPLES
• A SOCIAL AND DEMOCRATIC STATE.
• A PARLIAMENTARY MONARCHY.
• SEPARATION OF POWERS.
• SOVEREIGNTY OF THE PEOPLE.

10. BASIC PRINCIPLES
• A SOCIAL AND DEMOCRATIC STATE.
– There are rights for all the citizens (social). Examples:
http://www.congreso.es/consti/constitucion/indice/titulos/articulos.jsp?ini=10&fin=55&tipo=2
– The citizens can vote the governors, who have to respect the laws
or should be subject to the law (democratic).
• Artículo 1.1: http://www.congreso.es/consti/constitucion/indice/titulos/articulos.jsp?ini=1&fin=9&tipo=2
• A PARLIAMENTARY MONARCHY.
– The head of the State is the Monarch, Felipe VI: represent Spain in
international relations. He does not intervene in government
matters.
• Functions of the monarch:
• http://www.congreso.es/consti/constitucion/indice/titulos/articulos.jsp?ini=56&fin=65&tipo=2
• Artículo 1.3: http://www.congreso.es/consti/constitucion/indice/titulos/articulos.jsp?ini=1&fin=9&tipo=2

11. BASIC PRINCIPLES
• SEPARATION OF POWERS.
– Legislative power: make laws (Cortes Generales: Congress of
Deputies y Senate).
– Executive power: govern the country according to the laws
(Government). It is made up of the Prime Minister (Mariano
Rajoy) and the ministers.
– Judicial power: enforce laws (judges and magistrates).
• SOVEREIGNTY OF THE PEOPLE.
– Sovereignty resides in the people, because citizens can elect
their political representatives. The elections are held every
four years by universal suffrage. It means that all Spanish
people over 18 can vote.
• Articulo 1.2: http://www.congreso.es/consti/constitucion/indice/titulos/articulos.jsp?ini=1&fin=9&tipo=2

12. CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
• Is composed of all the institutions that can act throughout
the whole Spain.
• All the central government bodies reside in the capital of
the state: Madrid.
http://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/gobierno/Paginas/index.aspx

13. AUTONOMOUS AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
AUTONOMOUS GOVERNMENT
• 17 Autonomous Communities
and two Autonomous cities.
• Each Autonomous
Community has its own set of
laws: Statute of Autonomy.
• Autonomous Parliament.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
• Autonomous Communities are
divided into provinces, which are
made up of municipalities.
• Municipalities: cities, towns or
villages. It is governed by the council,
presided by the mayor and made up
od councillors.
• Provinces: there are 50 in Spain. The
institutions that are responsible for
governing are the Provincial Councils.
Emiliano García Page: President of
Castilla-La Mancha
José Manuel Caballero Serrano:
President of Provincial Council
Pilar Zamora: Mayor Ciudad Real