SPAIN TODAYUnit 2

SOCIAL SCIENCE

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT

SPAIN?

How is Spain organised?

SPANISH CONSTITUTION

What do Spanish citizens celebrate on the 6th of December?

What do Spanish citizens celebrate on the 12th of October?

That day in 1978 Spanish citizens over 18 votedand approved in a referendum

the Spanish Constitution

That day in 1492 Christopher Columbus reachedAmerica after leaving Spain on the 3rd of August

How is Spain organised?

A CONSTITUTION is a legal document where a set of laws are established which defines how a State is organized, what type of governmentit has and what rights and responsibilities the citizens have.

The Spanish Constitution (approved in 1978) is the

most important law in the country.

Types or forms of GOVERNMENTS

A form of government is how the power of a state is organised

TOTALITARIANISM(no freedom)

DEMOCRACY (freedom)

MONARCHY REPUBLIC

PARLIAMENTARY MONARCHY ABSOLUTE MONARCHY

DICTATORSHIP

Types or forms of GOVERNMENTS

TOTALITARIANISM: absolute control by

government. There isn’t freedom.

Dictatorship: is a FORM OF GOVERNMENT where

political authority is monopolized/held by a person(dictator).

-Absolute monarchy: Everything is controlled bythe monarchy (Catholic Monarchs).

TOTALITARIANISMADOLF HITLER

FRANCISCO FRANCO

CATHOLIC MONARCHS

Types or forms of GOVERNMENTS

DEMOCRACY: is a form of government in which all

the people of a state are involved in making decisions byvoting to elect representatives (politicians).

Republic: democratic state without monarchy. It is a form of

government in which power resides in elected individuals (politicians)representing the citizens.

PARLIAMENTARY MONARCHY is a form of government in which the

powers of the Monarch is restricted by a Constitution. They don’t have real power over laws or the governing the country. They are a symbol/representative of the country.

DEMOCRACYFELIPE VI

JUAN CARLOS I

FRANCOIS HOLLANDEpresident of the French

Republic

Spain has a king who is the HEAD OF STATE

(he can’t pass the laws) but there is PARLIAMENT that is responsible for making and

approving new laws.

How is Spain organised?The Constitution

Spain is a democratic (freedom) State with a

parliamentary monarchy

How is Spain organised?The Constitution

Spain is divided in 17 Autonomous Communities

and 2 Autonomous Cities (Ceuta and Melilla)

These Autonomous Communities are governed

by their Statutes of Autonomy (it defines their

names, boundaries, symbols and language).

Autonomous Communities are divided intoprovinces and municipalities.

Spanish coat of arms

The Spanish Constitution

Some important RIGHTS: • We are all equal. Discrimination is forbidden. • We have the right to be free and to be protected

by the law. • We have the right to use public services

(education and health)• We have the right to choose where to live and

travel freely. • We have the right to have a job.• We have the right to vote and elect leaders.

The Spanish Constitution

Some important responsibilities:

• We must pay taxes to pay for public services.

• We must protect the environment.

• We must respect the law.

• We must respect other people’s beliefs, culture, language and religion.

• We must respect public services.

• We mustn´t tolerate discrimination or unfair behaviour.

General ElectionsThe Constitution

• Citizens in Spain who are eighteen and over vote for members of Parliament in general elections every four years.

• People vote by secret ballot. So they have totake a ballot paper, choose their politicalparty and put in inside an envelope so that no one can see it.

THE STATE

The Constitution

(Sets 3 powers)

Executive Power

Government

(organises the country and

proposes ideas/laws)

LegislativePower

Parliament (develops laws

proposed by the government)

Judicial Power

Justice (monitors if laws follow the

Constitution)

Executive Power

Government: organises the country

President Ministers

The Government

• The party that gets the most votes forms the government.

• The President is the head of the government.

• The Presidents chooses the ministers who will help him/her.

President and Ministers

• Each minister is responsible for one area of organisation.

• The ministers present plans to Parliament (propose ideas/laws), and Parliament votes to approve these plans or not.

http://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/gobierno/gabinete/Paginas/index.aspx

Legislative Power

Parliament: develops laws proposed by the government

Congress

Deputies (members of the

congress)

Senate

Senators (members of the

senate)

Congress of Deputies

• Deputies belong to different political parties.

• They can approve or veto laws.

• The number of deputies each political party has in the congress depends on the number of votes they receive in general elections.

Congress of Deputies

Congress in Madrid

http://www.congreso.es/portal/page/portal/Congreso/Congreso

Senate and Senators

• Senators represent the Autonomous Communities. Senators ensure that the Autonomous Communities follow the Constitution.

Senate of Spain

Justice monitors if laws follow the Constitution

• The Constitutional Court decides if these laws follow the Constitution.

http://www.tribunalconstitucional.es/es/const

itucion/Paginas/ConstitucionCastellano.aspx

• The Supreme Court accepts or reject sentences approved in lower courts.

Cristina Cifuentes. Community of Madrid President

Manuela Carmena. Madrid Mayor