Spain Marks Half-Century Mark of Francisco Franco's Death
Spain has observed the five-decade milestone of Francisco Franco's death with an absence of official events but with a call from the prime minister to understand the warnings of the dictatorship and protect democratic liberties that was stolen for generations.
Background History
The dictator, whose armed uprising against the legitimate government in 1936 sparked a civil conflict and brought about four decades of dictatorship, succumbed in Madrid on 20 November 1975.
While the current administration has planned a twelve-month program of events to mark the post-Franco transformation, it avoided official ceremonies on the exact day of the ruler's demise to prevent claims that it was attempting to glorify his death.
Current Issues
The anniversary comes amid growing worries about the lack of knowledge about the dictatorship, especially among younger Spaniards.
Recent polling has indicated that a significant portion of participants felt the dictatorship period was positive or excellent, while additional research found approximately one-fourth of youth population felt that an non-democratic system could occasionally be better to a democratic government.
Official Position
No democracy – including ours – is perfect, the official noted. Significant progress is needed to build the desired nation and that we can be: a place of more opportunity; increased freedoms and reduced disparity.
The national leader, who deliberately avoided mentioning Franco by name, also commented that freedom wasn't freely given, emphasizing that present-day rights had been achieved through perseverance and fortitude of citizens.
Remembrance Programs
The administration has employed commemoration statutes introduced three years ago to try to help Spain come to terms with its past.
- Redesignating the Valley of Cuelgamuros – previously known as the Valley of the Fallen
- Developing a registry of goods seized by the regime
- Seeking to eliminate the last vestiges of Francoist symbols
Organization Shutdown Attempts
The authorities are presently in the final stages of its initiatives to dissolve the dictatorship foundation, which functions to uphold and advance the leader's memory.
The culture minister stated that his department was seeking to ensure that the dictator's documents – presently held by the institution – was given to national authorities so it could be accessed by all Spaniards.
Partisan Objections
The opposition conservative People's party is boycotting the government's initiative to mark five decades of freedom, as is the far-right Vox party, which rejected the initiative an absurd necrophilia that splits the population.
Historical Legacy
More than 500,000 people perished in the civil war, while countless additional people were compelled to leave.
Reprisals continued well after Franco's victory in 1939, and the bodies of more than 100,000 people who died in the conflict and in its aftereffects are believed to be in unidentified collective tombs.
Political Evolution
Following the leader's demise, Spain began the transformation to representative government, organizing open polls in 1977 and ratifying a fresh charter in a referendum the following year.
