THE NEW POLITICAL SYSTEM AND THE AUTONOMIC STATE (SPANISH DEMOCRACY)

1. WARMING UP

Look at the pictures and discuss in pairs: What do you already know about them?

2. DEFINE right in your own words and FILL IN THE CHART with these items: employment; social security;
national sovereignty; decent housing; life; religious freedom; division of powers; adequate environment;
equality under the law; expression; association; assembly; decentralised state.

CIVIL RIGHTS

SOCIAL RIGHTS

POLITICAL PRINCIPLES

3. TRUE/FALSE about the CONSTITUTION OF 1978 - Article 1. Correct the false sentences.

1. Spain is hereby established as a social and democratic State, subject to the rule of law, which supports as
the highest values of its legal order, liberty, justice, equality and political pluralism.
2. National sovereignty lies in the Spanish people, from whom emanate the powers of the State.
3. The political form of the Spanish State is a parliamentary monarchy.

a) The rule of law means that no branch of government is above the law.
b) Equality and political pluralism are the most important legal principles.
c) The power lies in the king with the government.
d) Spanish people are in charge of the three powers of the State.
e) The king controls the Parliament.
f) The king is the Head of State.
4. DISCUSS in small groups about the division of powers in our Constitution.

a) COMPARE it to the situation in the Second Republic and in the Francoism.

b) CREATE A CHART containing information about the function of each power and the institutions where
they reside.

____________ POWER _______________ POWER JUDICIAL POWER

Function

Institution

5. LISTENING - The Constitution and the Autonomic State

a) What right was the basis for creating the State of Autonomous Communities?

b) How many Autonomous Communities were created by the Constitution of 1978?

c) What is established in every Statute of Autonomy?

d) What were the first regions to create an Autonomous Community?

e) Between which years were the last Statutes of Autonomy approved?

6. ACTIVITIES

a) DEFINE: ballot box; consensus; right; division of powers; political pluralism; Statute of Autonomy; self-
government.

b) LOOK FOR INFORMATION about the Constitutional Court and make a brief report: creation, location,
functions, important decisions, etc.

c) LOOK FOR INFORMATION about the self-government institutions of Andaluca: government, parliament
and courts.