Spanish Democratization

This chapter offers an analysis of the Spanish transition to democracy that does not fit in the typologies that have been used in the literature on democratization. Rather than trying to summarize the whole process in a single cell of a typological scheme, a sharp distinction is made between the political dynamics of the initial period of the transition (1975–77), up to the holding of the first elections, and of the posterior period of building and consolidating democracy (1977–78). Whereas the first period is characterized by pressure from below and reforms from above, with full control of the reform process by the Francoist elites, the second period corresponds to consensual politics and encompassing agreements. The consolidation of democracy and the legacy of the transition are also discussed.