But, first, did you know that...;xNLx;;xNLx;- Spain is the 2nd largest country in the EU, and it is the 5th most populated state. ;xNLx;;xNLx;- It has 1 commissioner, 50 representatives in the European Parliament, 1 judge in the Justice Court, 21 representatives in the Committee of the Regions and 21 representatives in the European Economic and Social Committee.
Francisco Franco, the dictator who had been ruling Spain for 40 years, dies. It is the beginning of the Spanish Transition towards Democracy. King Juan Carlos I is the new Head of State. Watch his funeral broadcasted by the Spanish TV in "Find out more".
"Unión de Centro Democrático" (UCD, center-wing) wins the first elections. His leader, Adolfo Suarez, becomes the Premier. He was the President during the Transition.
Adolfo Suarez asks for entering the European Communities. The negotiations begin.
The Spanish people and the Congress pass the Spanish Constitution.
Unión de Centro Democrático.
Partido Socialista Obrero Español/PSOE (Socialist Spanish Party). Left-wing.
Spain and Portugal finally join the European Communities. It is seen as a way to consolidate the democratic period opened in Spain.
The first European Parliament elections for Spaniards come only one year after its admission in the EC. RESULTS: Partido Socialista Obrero Español (left-wing): 28 representatives. Alianza Popular (right-wing): 17. Centro Democrático Social (center): 7. Convergència i Unió (Catalan nationalist party): 3. Izquierda Unida-IC (left-wing): 3. Europa de los Pueblos (Europe of People): 1 Herri Batasuna (basque nationalists): 1. Total: 57
It's the first time that Spain is the President of the Council of European Communities. During its mandate, the European members pass the 'Delors Report', that will lead to the Maastricht Treaty in 1992.
Partido Socialista Obrero Español: 27. Partido Popular (right-wing): 15 Centro Democrático Social: 5 Izquierda Unida-IC: 4. Other: 9 Total: 60 representatives
The Treaty on European Union initiates the road to political, economic and monetary union.
Partido Popular: 28. Partido Socialista: 22. Izquierda Unida-IC: 9. Convergència i Unió: 3. Coalición Nacionalista (Basque): 2. Total: 64 representatives
Finland, Austria and Sweden become member states of the EU. The 15 members cover almost the whole of western Europe.
During the Spanish presidency, the Council chooses the name of the European currency, the Euro, and sets up the Process of Euromediterranean Cooperation, also known as the "Process of Barcelona".
Partido Popular/PP (People's Party). Right- wing.
The Amsterdam Treaty (1997) introduced measures to reinforce political union and prepare for enlargement towards the East. It comes into force in 1999.
Partido Popular: 27 Partido Socialista Obrero Español: 24. Izquierda Unida: 4. Convergència i Unió: 3. Coalición Europea (European Coalition): 2. Coalición Nacionalista Europa de los Pueblos, lead by the Basque Nationalist Party: 2. Others: 4. Total: 56 representatives
It defines the institutional changes necessary for enlargement. It comes into force on February 2003.
Watch a TV commercial broadcasted in Spanish channels informing about the Euro.
Partido Socialista Obrero Español. PSOE (Socialist Party). Left-wing.
Ten new countries join the EU: Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. This is the largest single enlargement in terms of people, and number of countries.
Partido Socialista Obrero Español: 25. Partido Popular: 24. Izquierda Unida-ICV: 2. Galeusca (Coalition of Catalan, Basque and Galician political parties): 2. Por la Europa de los Pueblos (Coalition of other nationalist political parties): 1. Total: 54 representatives
Signed by the Heads of State of the 25 EU members and of the three candidates to enter the EU. It will need to be ratified by all 25 members of the European Union.
YES: 76,7% (10.804.464 Spaniards) NO: 17,3% (2.428.409 Spaniards) Participation: 42%
Two more countries from eastern Europe, Bulgaria and Romania, join the EU, bringing the number of member states to 27 countries.
Due to the rejection of the European Constitution.
For the first time, the Spanish Premier José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero admits in the Spanish Congress that Spain's financial situation is critical.
The Spanish government sets up the first measures to aid the Spanish Financial system, endangered by the crisis. They will capsize the organization of banks and "cajas de ahorros" (financial institutions that use part of its funds to social policies). The most important measure so far is the Fiscal Reform, passed the 6th of February 2012.
Partido Popular: 23. Partido Socialista: 21. Coalición para Europa (Coalition for Europe. Political Parties from Catalonia, the Basque Country, the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands and Andalucía): 2. La Izquierda (Izquierda Unida with other political parties): 2. Unión, Progreso y Democracia (center-right. Union Progress and Democracy): 1 Europa de los Pueblos-Verdes (Political Parties from Catalonia, the Basque Country, Galicia, Navarra, Aragón, the Balearic Islands and Castilla y León): 1. Total: 50
It modifies the existing treaties, enhancing the efficiency of the decision making process and democratic participation in a Union of 27 Member States.
The third term of the Spanish presidency of the Council of European Union was also the one in which the Lisbon Treaty was implemented. Spain shares its presidency with Belgium and Hungary.
Concentrations sprout up all over Spain, being the ones in Puerta del Sol (Madrid) and Plaça Catalunya (Barcelona) the most important ones. Demonstrators ask for a more participative democracy, and want to restore the principles of the Spanish political system, regarded as obsolete and corrupted by politicians. They are against austerity measures, claiming that politicians and bankers are the real responsibles for having caused the financial crisis. The 15-M concentrations triggered the formation of several civil movements. The most important ones are: 'Democracia Real Ya!' (Real Democracy Now), 'Yayoflautas' (old people who usually mantain their children and grandchildren with their pension), and 'Plataforma de Afectadors por la Hipoteca', PAH (Affected by Mortgage Platform), which tries to stop the evictions due to the non-payment of the mortgages.
They were supposed to be held in 2012, but the crisis is getting worse.
Following European guidelines, the two main political parties, Partido Socialista and Partido Popular, change the Spanish Constitution in order to pass laws that will regulate the debt, without asking the citizens. It is considered the first time that the Spanish sovereignty is constrained by European powers.
Partido Popular wins the November 20th elections. It is the beginning of the implementation of the austerity measures.
The Council of Ministers passes the Labor Reform. Its aim is to make the job market more "flexible", and to create jobs in the medium term. Spain had lost 2,9 million jobs in four years.
As part of the economic and financial measures, the government passes a tax amnesty offering people with undeclared taxable assets the opportunity to pay a 10% levy. They won't face criminal or administrative penalties. The government seeks to raise a significant amount of money, 25 billion euros, but only gets 2 billion.
Rodrigo Rato, CEO of Bakia, resigns. The situation of the Spanish banks and "cajas" is worse than ever.
The Spanish government will give 19,000 billion euros to Bankia.
The 17-nation eurozone finance ministers agree to make a loan of up to 100 billion euros available to Spain. Mariano Rajoy will never call it a "bailout".
As part of the austerity measures, the Spanish government raises the Value Added Tax up to the 21%. During his campaign, Maria Rajoy said that he wouldn't raise taxes.
From 600,000 to 2 million Catalans (depending on which source you choose) march on Barcelona's streets under the slogan: "Catalonia, next state of Europe". In the Catalan Parliament elections held in November 2012, the political parties who support the creation of a Catalan state gain 74 representatives out of 135. In October, the Basque nationalist party PNV will win the Basque elections, and the left-wing independentist Bildu will be the second political party.
Spain receives the first part of the bailout.
6,15 million Spaniards don't have a job. The jobless rate in Spain is the highest in the EU: 26,6%. According to official figures, 5 out of 10 youngsters are unemployed.
Since the beginning of the crisis, several corruption scandals have been unveiled in Spain. The most important ones so far are Gürtel, which involves the ruling party, Partido Popular, ERE and Palma Arena, with one member of the Royal Family facing severe charges. In Catalonia, the most important ones are "Cas Palau", "Cas Pallerols", "Mercuri" and "ITV". Other corruption scandals in Spain are "Manga", "Pokemon" and "Campeón" (involves one former Minister). See the Spanish "map of corruption" below.
The European Union Justice Court declares that Spanish evictions law doesn't protect citizens from the "abusive" clauses stipulated in mortgage contracts. It's a huge victory for the PAH and other civil movements, who had been pushing the Spanish politicians into passing a law that will allow the Non Recourse debt.
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