Autonomous communities of Spain

The autonomous communities are the first-level administrative divisions of Spain. They were created under the Spanish Constitution of 1978 to give some self-rule to the nationalities and regions that make up Spain. For other uses, see Regions of Spain (disambiguation).

There are 17 autonomous communities and two autonomous cities, Ceuta and Melilla. Together, they are known as "autonomies." The two autonomous cities can choose to become autonomous communities.

The autonomous communities use their right to govern themselves within the limits set by the constitution and by organic laws called Statutes of Autonomy. These laws describe the powers that each community takes on.

Each statute lists the powers given to that community. Communities with stronger local nationalism usually have more powers. This arrangement is called "asymmetrical." It is generally seen as a good thing because it can respond to different needs and identities.

The Constitution does not set a required structure for legislative chambers. Even so, all autonomous communities have chosen unicameralism, which means they have just one chamber. All of these governments have legislative and executive branches, but none has a judicial branch.

Decentralisation model

Main article: Political divisions of Spain

Some foreign political scientists see the Spanish system as "a federal system with certain peculiarities." It is also described as a decentralised unitary country. The whole nation holds the power, and this power is shared through the central government institutions. The nation has devolved some power to the communities, but the amount differs from place to place.

The Constitutional Court has called this special way of organising the country the "State of Autonomous Communities." This name avoids saying that Spain is either a unitary or a federal country. Some scholars describe the system as federal in all but name, or as a "federation without federalism."

List of autonomous communities

Most autonomous communities are officially called by their Spanish name. A few, like the Valencian Community and the Balearic Islands, are officially called by the name used in their own language. In the Basque Country, Navarre and Galicia, both names are used. Since 2006, the Aranese form of Occitan is also an official language in Catalonia. This makes Catalonia the only autonomous community with three official names: Cataluña (Spanish), Catalunya (Catalan), and Catalonha (Occitan).

RA: Regionally Appointed
DE: Directly Elected

Autonomous cities

DE: Directly Elected

History

Main articles: History of the territorial organization of Spain and Nationalities and regions of Spain

Spain is made up of many regions. Each has its own languages, ways of life, and traditions. The whole country was joined under one crown in 1479. But the regions kept many of their own rules and money until the mid 1800s. From the 1700s, the Bourbon kings and the government wanted a more centralized country, where power was held in one place. Leaders of the Spanish Enlightenment also wanted one Spanish nation. In 1833, Spain was divided into 49 (now 50) provinces. Most of these followed rules made in Madrid. Some people in Galicia, Catalonia, and the Basque Country asked to govern themselves. Catalonia got some self-rule in 1914 and lost it in 1925. It got it back in 1932, during the Second Spanish Republic. Several regions approved Statutes of Autonomy at that time. This progress stopped when the Spanish Civil War began in 1936. The rebel side, led by Francisco Franco, won. Under Franco's dictatorial regime, Spain was run from the center. Regional languages and identities were restricted. After Franco died in 1975, Spain began a transition to democracy. The newly elected Cortes Generales had a hard job. They needed to move from Franco's way of ruling to one where regions had more power. Prime Minister of Spain Adolfo Suárez met with Josep Tarradellas, who was the president of the Generalitat of Catalonia while living in exile. They agreed to bring back the Generalitat. The Fathers of the Constitution had to balance many ideas. These included seeing Spain as a "nation of nations" and federalism. The governing Union of the Democratic Centre (UCD) wanted only a little decentralization. The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) was open to a federal system. The constitution was approved in 1978. It recognized "nationalities and regions" within the "indissoluble unity of the Spanish nation." It gave regions the right to govern themselves, by slowly passing devolution of power to them.

The constitution did not give a clear plan for how this would work. Instead, it set up a way for regions to become "autonomous communities." Provinces and municipalities were the building blocks. Some regions could take a "fast route" to self-rule. This was mainly for Catalonia, the Basque Country, and Galicia. Other regions took a "slow route." Andalusia also got a quicker path after a referendum showed strong support for self-government. On 31 July 1981, Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo and Felipe González signed the "First Autonomic Pacts." These set up 17 autonomous communities and two autonomous cities. By 1983, all 17 communities had been formed. They are Andalusia, Aragon, Asturias, the Balearic Islands, the Basque Country, the Canary Islands, Cantabria, Castile and León, Castilla–La Mancha, Catalonia, the Community of Madrid, Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Navarra, the Region of Murcia, and the Valencian Community. The two autonomous cities, Ceuta and Melilla, were formed in 1995. Not every region has the same arrangement. The Basque Country and Navarre can collect their own taxes. Other regions have their taxes collected by the central government.

In 1992, the "second autonomic pacts" gave more powers to the "slow route" communities. They were agreed between Felipe González and José María Aznar. Aznar was the leader of the People's Party (PP), which had replaced the People's Alliance party. Today, Spain is a decentralized country. Its structure is unique and is similar to, but not the same as, a federation. Spain went from being one of the most centralized countries in the OECD to one of the most decentralized. The central government now controls just 18% of public spending. The process is still going on. Some communities have considered taking back certain powers after the 2008 financial crisis. In 2010, almost 50.3% of civil servants in Spain worked for the autonomous communities.

Movement for further autonomy

See also: Galician independence movement

Main article: Basque Country independence

Main article: Catalan independence movement

Some people in Galicia, the Basque Country, and Catalonia see their regions as "nations." They think Spain is a "nation of nations." Many of them have asked for more power, and some want to separate from Spain. In 2004 the Basque Parliament approved the Ibarretxe Plan. The plan would have given the Basque Country a new Statute of Autonomy, with shared sovereignty with Spain, its own judiciary, and the right to self-determination. It would have taken over most powers, except Spanish nationality law, defense, and money policy. The Spanish Parliament said no in 2005.

In Catalonia, the main argument has been about money. During the 2010s, Catalan leaders wanted more funding. Thomas Piketty and other economists said that Spain's tax system could cause regions to compete against each other. In 2012, Artur Mas, who was then the president of Catalonia, asked for a new "fiscal agreement." Mariano Rajoy refused. Mas called new elections and promised a vote on independence. Rajoy's government said it would use every legal tool to stop it, because a binding referendum must be called by the central government or the Congress of Deputies. The economic crisis in Spain, which began in 2008, led many people in Catalonia to support independence. In 2017 the Catalan Parliament voted for independence, and a constitutional crisis followed.

Spain also has disagreements over land with the United Kingdom, Morocco, and Portugal. Some groups want to change the borders between regions. There are independence movements in Catalonia, the Basque Country and Navarre, Galicia, and the Canary Islands. The Basque Statute of Autonomy gives a way for Navarre to join the Basque Country, but the Parliament of Navarre has not looked into this. The Treviño enclave, which includes Condado de Treviño and La Puebla de Arganzón, belongs to Burgos province in Castile and León. It is surrounded by Álava in the Basque Country. The government of Castile and León wants things to stay the same. The Basque Government and many local people want it to join the Basque Country. Valle de Villaverde is part of Cantabria but is surrounded by Biscay. Local support for joining the Basque Country has recently gone down. Leonesism calls for a separate León region based on the former Region of León. The Ayuntamiento of La Línea de la Concepción has asked to hold a vote on leaving the province of Cádiz to become its own autonomous community.

Constitutional and statutory framework

Main article: Statute of Autonomy

Main article: Communities of chartered regime

Main article: Political divisions of Spain

See also: Local government in Spain, Comarcas of Spain, Provinces of Spain, and Municipalities of Spain

The State of Autonomies was set up in Article 2 of the constitution. It is based on four ideas: a willingness to accept autonomy, unity in diversity, self-government without full independence, and solidarity among all the communities. Each community's structure comes from the powers the constitution allows and the powers in its Statute of Autonomy. A Statute is the basic law of a community. Its parliament approves it. Then the Cortes Generales, the Spanish Parliament, approves it with an absolute majority in the Congress of Deputies. Communities that gained autonomy through the "fast route" also need a referendum. If the communities and the central government disagree, the case can go to the Constitutional Court of Spain. Every community has a Legislative Assembly, chosen by proportional representation using the D'Hondt method. Each community also has a Council of Government, led by a president who is nominated by the King of Spain. Each community has a High Court of Justice, which sits under the Supreme Court of Spain. The names of these bodies differ from place to place. Some have old names, such as the Generalitat of Catalonia. Others are newer. The Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, and the Valencian Community have also called themselves nationalities.

The 1982 and 1992 autonomic agreements tried to make the powers (Spanish: competencias) of the 17 communities more equal, but some differences remain. The constitution lists powers kept by the central government, such as foreign affairs, defence, and justice. Each community can manage its own money, education, health, and social services. Some communities have special features. Aragon, the Balearic Islands, the Basque Country, Catalonia, Galicia, and Navarre have their own private law systems. The Basque Country, Catalonia, and Navarre have their own police forces: the Ertzaintza, the Mossos d'Esquadra, and the Nafarroako Foruzaingoa. The Canary Islands have a special financial system because they are outside peninsular Spain. The Basque Country and Navarre have a separate financial system under their chartered legal structure. The Balearic Islands, the Basque Country, Catalonia, Galicia, Navarre, and the Valencian Community have Catalan/Valencian, Basque, or Galician as co-official languages, alongside Castilian. The Basque Country and Catalonia also run their own regional train services. For most communities, central government funding is the main source of income. They receive transfer payments through fiscal equalization. The Basque Country and Navarre keep their own taxes. They are known as communities of chartered regime and have a concierto económico, or "economic treaty".