Spain is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy with a democratic form of government. The Spanish Constitution, approved in 1978, defines Spain as a social and democratic state and establishes the country's system of government. Spain is divided into 17 autonomous communities and 2 autonomous cities, which have some legislative power over local matters. The Spanish government consists of executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Citizens celebrate Constitution Day on December 6th and Columbus Day on October 12th.

1. SPAIN TODAY
Unit 2
SOCIAL SCIENCE

2. WHAT DO YOU
KNOW ABOUT
SPAIN?

3. How is Spain organised?
SPANISH
CONSTITUTION

4. What do Spanish citizens celebrate on the
6th of December?
What do Spanish citizens celebrate on the
12th of October?
That day in 1978 Spanish citizens over 18 voted
and approved in a referendum
the Spanish Constitution
That day in 1492 Christopher Columbus reached
America after leaving Spain on the 3rd of August

5. How is Spain organised?
A CONSTITUTION is a legal document where a
set of laws are established which defines how
a State is organized, what type of government
it has and what rights and responsibilities the
citizens have.
The Spanish Constitution (approved in 1978) is the
most important law in the country.

6. Types or forms of GOVERNMENTS
A form of government is how the power
of a state is organised
TOTALITARIANISM
(no freedom)
DEMOCRACY
(freedom)
MONARCHY
REPUBLIC
PARLIAMENTARY
MONARCHYABSOLUTE MONARCHY
DICTATORSHIP

7. Types or forms of GOVERNMENTS
TOTALITARIANISM: absolute control by
government. There isn’t freedom.
Dictatorship: is a FORM OF GOVERNMENT where
political authority is monopolized/held by a person
(dictator).
-Absolute monarchy: Everything is controlled by
the monarchy (Catholic Monarchs).

8. TOTALITARIANISM
ADOLF HITLER
FRANCISCO FRANCO
CATHOLIC MONARCHS

9. Types or forms of GOVERNMENTS
DEMOCRACY: is a form of government in which all
the people of a state are involved in making decisions by
voting to elect representatives (politicians).
Republic: democratic state without monarchy. It is a form of
government in which power resides in elected individuals (politicians)
representing the citizens.
PARLIAMENTARY MONARCHY is a form of government in which the
powers of the Monarch is restricted by a Constitution. They don’t have real power
over laws or the governing the country. They are a symbol/representative of the country.

10. DEMOCRACY
FELIPE VI
JUAN CARLOS I
FRANCOIS HOLLANDE
president of the French
Republic

11. Spain has a king who is the HEAD OF STATE
(he can’t pass the laws) but there is
PARLIAMENT that is responsible for making and
approving new laws.
How is Spain organised?
The Constitution
Spain is a democratic (freedom) State with a
parliamentary monarchy

12. How is Spain organised?
The Constitution
Spain is divided in 17 Autonomous Communities
and 2 Autonomous Cities (Ceuta and Melilla)
These Autonomous Communities are governed
by their Statutes of Autonomy (it defines their
names, boundaries, symbols and language).
Autonomous Communities are divided into
provinces and municipalities.

13. Spanish coat of arms

14. The Spanish Constitution
Some important RIGHTS:
• We are all equal. Discrimination is forbidden.
• We have the right to be free and to be protected
by the law.
• We have the right to use public services
(education and health)
• We have the right to choose where to live and
travel freely.
• We have the right to have a job.
• We have the right to vote and elect leaders.

15. The Spanish Constitution
Some important responsibilities:
• We must pay taxes to pay for public services.
• We must protect the environment.
• We must respect the law.
• We must respect other people’s beliefs, culture,
language and religion.
• We must respect public services.
• We mustn´t tolerate discrimination or unfair
behaviour.

16. General Elections
The Constitution
• Citizens in Spain who are eighteen and over
vote for members of Parliament in general
elections every four years.
• People vote by secret ballot. So they have to
take a ballot paper, choose their political
party and put in inside an envelope so that no
one can see it.

17. THE STATE
The Constitution
(Sets 3 powers)
Executive Power
Government
(organises the
country and
proposes ideas/laws)
Legislative
Power
Parliament
(develops laws
proposed by the
government)
Judicial Power
Justice (monitors
if laws follow the
Constitution)

18. Executive Power
Government:
organises the country
President Ministers

19. The Government
• The party that gets the most votes forms the
government.
• The President is the head of the government.
• The Presidents chooses the ministers who will
help him/her.

20. President and Ministers
• Each minister is responsible for one area of
organisation.
• The ministers present plans to Parliament
(propose ideas/laws), and Parliament votes to
approve these plans or not.
http://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/gobierno/gabinete/Paginas/index.aspx

21. Legislative Power
Parliament: develops laws proposed
by the government
Congress
Deputies
(members of the
congress)
Senate
Senators
(members of the
senate)

22. Congress of Deputies
• Deputies belong to different political parties.
• They can approve or veto laws.
• The number of deputies each political party
has in the congress depends on the number of
votes they receive in general elections.

23. Congress of Deputies

24. Congress in Madrid
http://www.congreso.es/portal/page/portal/Congreso/Congreso

25. Senate and Senators
• Senators represent the Autonomous
Communities. Senators ensure that the
Autonomous Communities follow the
Constitution.

26. Senate of Spain

27. Justice monitors if laws follow the
Constitution
• The Constitutional Court
decides if these laws
follow the Constitution.
http://www.tribunalconstitucional.es/es/const
itucion/Paginas/ConstitucionCastellano.aspx
• The Supreme Court accepts or reject
sentences approved in lower courts.

28. Cristina Cifuentes. Community of Madrid
President
Manuela Carmena. Madrid Mayor