Politics of Spain
The monarch serves as head of state, while the prime minister (President of the Government) is head of government, with executive power exercised by the Cabinet. Legislative power is vested in the Cortes Generales, a bicameral parliament, and the judiciary is independent, with the Supreme Court as the highest court except for constitutional matters, which fall under the Constitutional Court.
- government_type
- Parliamentary monarchy
- head_of_state
- Monarch (currently Felipe VI)
- head_of_government
- Prime Minister (President of the Government)
- legislature
- Cortes Generales (Congress of Deputies and Senate)
- judiciary
- Independent; Supreme Court and Constitutional Court
- major_parties
- Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) and People's Party (PP)
Lore & Background
The monarch, currently Felipe VI, is head of state with mostly ceremonial duties, including appointing the prime minister and commanding the armed forces symbolically. The prime minister, officially titled President of the Government, leads the executive branch, which includes deputy prime ministers and ministers forming the Council of Ministers. Legislative power belongs to the Cortes Generales, a bicameral parliament composed of the Congress of Deputies and the Senate. The judiciary is independent, with the Supreme Court as the highest court for most matters, while the Constitutional Court handles constitutional issues.
Reader's Guide
Spain's political system is significant as a model of a parliamentary monarchy that successfully transitioned from dictatorship to democracy. Since the 1990s, two parties—PSOE and PP—have dominated, though regional parties from the Basque Country and Catalonia have played key roles.
Did You Know?
- The King's duties are mostly ceremonial, with constitutional provisions deliberately omitting terms like 'powers' or 'prerogatives'.
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