🔗 Share this article

Spain has marked the five-decade milestone of Francisco Franco's death with an absence of official events but with a statement by the premier to understand the warnings of the repressive era and safeguard democratic rights that was wrenched from us for generations.

Background History

Franco, whose rebellion against the legitimate government in 1936 triggered a civil war and brought about four decades of repressive regime, died in Madrid on November 20, 1975.

Despite the government has organised a year-long series of activities to commemorate the post-Franco transformation, it declined government events on the actual anniversary of the ruler's demise to avoid accusations that it was trying to honor his death.

Contemporary Concerns

The anniversary comes amid rising apprehension about the lack of knowledge about the repressive era, especially among younger Spaniards.

Research findings has shown that over one-fifth of respondents felt the Franco regime was favorable or highly favorable, while another study found nearly 25% of young Spanish adults felt that an non-democratic system could occasionally be better to a democratic system.

Official Position

All democratic systems have flaws, the leader stated. Much remains to be done to build the desired nation and that we can be: a nation with greater possibilities; expanded liberties and diminished inequity.

The national leader, who pointedly did not refer Franco by name, also noted that democracy didn't fall from the sky, emphasizing that present-day rights had been achieved through perseverance and fortitude of citizens.

Remembrance Programs

The government has used historical memory legislation introduced three years ago to try to help Spain come to terms with its past.

• Renaming the historical site – formerly called the Valley of the Fallen
• Creating a catalog of property confiscated during the era
• Working to strip Spain the last vestiges of Francoist symbols

Foundation Closure Efforts

The administration is currently in the concluding steps of its efforts to close the Franco legacy organization, which operates to maintain and promote the dictator's legacy.

The cultural affairs official stated that his ministry was attempting to make sure that the historical records – presently held by the institution – was transferred to government control so it could be available to citizens.

Political Opposition

The right-wing political group is opposing the official commemoration to mark five decades of freedom, as is the far-right Vox party, which dismissed the programme an morbid fascination that splits the population.

Past Consequences

Numerous citizens died during the conflict, while hundreds of thousands more were compelled to leave.

Reprisals continued long after the conflict ended in 1939, and the bodies of more than 100,000 people who died in the conflict and in its consequences are believed to be in anonymous burial sites.

Democratic Transition

After the dictator's death, Spain started the journey to representative government, conducting democratic voting in the late seventies and approving a new constitution in a public ballot afterward.