Key Events In The 20th-21st Century

Question 1

1936 - Spanish Civil War

Answer 1

Between the Republicans and the Nationalists led by Francisco Franco. Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy supported Nationalists

Question 2

1939 - Civil War ends

Answer 2

Nationalists win the civil war and Francisco Franco becomes dictator of Spain

Question 3

1946-1950

Answer 3

Francois Spain is ostracised by the UN and many countries sever their diplomatic relations

Question 4

1950s

Answer 4

• USA gradually improves relations w/Spain by extending loans in return for military bases
  1955 - Spain admitted to UN
  1958 - Spain admitted to World Bank
  Other European countries open up to the Franco government
• El Milagro Español - an economic boom due to manufacturing and tourism industries

Question 5

1959 - ETA is founded

Answer 5

Armed separatist group ETA is founded with the aim of fighting for an independent homeland in the Basque region of Spain

Question 6

1975 - Franco government ends

Answer 6

Franco dies and is succeeded as the head of state by King Juan Carlos = Spain makes transition from dictatorship to democracy

Question 7

1977 - Back to right wing

Answer 7

Ex Francois Adolfo Suarez (of the Union Democratic Centre is elected as PM in Spain’s first free election in four decades

Question 8

1978

Answer 8

The Spanish Constitution is issued granting freedom of speech, press, religion and association

Question 9

1982 - Back to left wing

Answer 9

• Socialists under Felipe Gonzalez win elections
• Free education, an expanded welfare state and liberalisation of abortion laws are key policies
• Spain joins NATO

Question 10

1986 - EEC

Answer 10

Spain joins the European Economic Community (later became the European Union, EU)

Question 11

1996 - back to right wing

Answer 11

José María Aznar (of the Conservative political party) becomes PM

Question 12

2004 - terrorist attacks

Answer 12

• 191 people are killed in explosions on rush-hour trains in Madrid in near-simultaneous pre-election terrorist attacks.
• With Spain still in mourning the Socialists under Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero defy earlier opinion polls win a general election

Question 13

2005 - LGBTQ+

Answer 13

Parliament defies the Roman Catholic Church by legalising gay marriage and granting homosexual couples the same adoption and inheritance rights as heterosexual ones

Question 14

2007

Answer 14

Parliament passes a bill formally denouncing General Franco’s rule and ordering the removal of all Franco era statues and symbols from public spaces

Question 15

2009 - Economic Crisis

Answer 15

Spain enters an economic.
- in the following year the unemployment rate climbs to over 20% for the first time in nearly 13 years

Question 16

2011

Answer 16

Conservative popular party wins resounding victory in parliamentary election. The new government headed by Mariano Rajoy takes office.
New round of austerity measures announced

Question 17

2014

Answer 17

King Juan Carlos abdicates and is succeeded by his son, the crown Prince as Felipe VI

Question 18

2017

Answer 18

Madrid imposes direct rule in Catalonia after voters in a referendum back separation from Spain

Question 19

2018 - ETA

Answer 19

Basque separatist group ETA announces it is ceasing all political activities

Question 20

2018 - back to left wing

Answer 20

Mariano Rajoy loses a vote of confidence. Socialist leader Pedro Sánchez takes over as prime minister

Question 21

2019 - Vox

Answer 21

April:
Vox becomes the first far right party to win seats since the death of Francisco Franco in 1975

November:
Fourth general election in as many years leaves Socialists still short of a majority while Vox more than doubles its seats to become the third-largest party

Question 22

2020

Answer 22

Pedro Sánchez forms minority coalition government with left-wing Podemos party after winning a narrow parliamentary vote of confidence

Question 23

2023

Answer 23

In the election the conservative Popular Party won the most votes but failed to win the majority
After obtaining the support of the left wing Sumar alliance as well as a series of pro independence and regionalist political parties, Sanchez secures a majority