Spanish Socialist Workers' Party

The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (Partido Socialista Obrero Español or PSOE) is one of the main parties of Spain. It is a social democratic party, a member of the Socialist International.

Modern history

Its XXV Congress was held in Toulouse in August 1972. In its XXVI congress at Suresnes (France, 1974) Felipe González was elected as secretary general, replacing Rodolfo Llopis Ferrándiz. González was from the renovating wing of the party, and his victory was a defeat for the historic or veteran wing of the party.

Related Topics:
Toulouse - 1972 - Suresnes - Felipe González - Rodolfo Llopis Ferrándiz

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The direction of the party shifted from the exiles to the young people in Spain who hadn't fought the war.

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Llopis led a schism to form the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (historic) (PSOE (h)).

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González showed intentions to move the party away from its Marxist and socialist background, turning the PSOE into a social-democratic party, similar to those of the rest of western Europe. In 1977 PSOE became the official party of the opposition with 29.2% of the vote and 118 seats in the Parliament. In their XXVII of May 1979 he resigned because the party would not abandon its Marxist character. In September the extraordinary XXVIII was called in which González was re-elected and the party agreed to end Marxism within the party. European social democratic parties supported González stand, and the German SPD granted them money. The party symbol was changed from the anvil with the book to the Social Democratic fist with a rose. In the referendum of 1978, PSOE favoured the Spanish Constitution, which was approved. In the 1979 elections they gained 30.5% of the vote and 121 seats, remaining the main opposition party.

Related Topics:
Marxist - 1977 - Parliament - 1979 - SPD - Anvil with the book - Fist with a rose - Spanish Constitution

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On October 28 1982, the PSOE promise of el cambio ("the change") won an historic electoral victory, with 48.3% of the vote (10,000,000 in total). Felipe González became Prime Minister of Spain on December 2, remaining so until March 1996. In spite of its appearance as a party with a progressive economic program, the PSOE combined social reforms with a liberal and capitalist economic policy.

Related Topics:
October 28 - 1982 - Prime Minister of Spain - December 2 - 1996 - Social reforms

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The leftist bases were disappointed seeing their leaders rubbing elbows with the rich "beautiful people".

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An example was the marriage of the minister Miguel Boyer with the star of gossip magazines Isabel Preysler.

Related Topics:
Miguel Boyer - Isabel Preysler

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Though the party had previously opposed the NATO, after reaching the government most party leaders defended to maintain Spain inside the organisation.

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The González administration organised a referendum on the question in 1986, calling for a favourable vote, and won. The administration was criticised for avoiding the official names of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and NATO, using the unofficial Atlantic Alliance terms.

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A symbol of this U-turn is Javier Solana who campaigned against NATO but ended years later as its Secretary General.

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PSOE Supported the United States in the First Gulf War (1991). The PSOE won 1986, 1989 and 1993 elections.

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Economic crisis, scandals of corruption and alleged state terrorism against the illegal Basque armed group ETA eroded the popularity of Felipe González, and in 1996, the PSOE lost the elections to the conservative Partido Popular (PP). Between 1996 and 2001 the PSOE weathered a crisis, suffering a hard defeat in 2000 (34.7%).

Related Topics:
State terrorism - Basque - ETA - Partido Popular

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It still has remained as the ruling party in the autonomous communities of Andalusia, Extremadura, Castilla-La Mancha and Asturias.

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In 2001, a new general secretary, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, was elected, replacing Felipe González, and renewing the party. Later, the PSOE won the municipal elections of 2003.

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On 13th November 2003 the PSOE won the regional election in Catalonia, through a pact with Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (Republican Left of Catalonia, ERC, left-wing independentist) and Iniciativa per Catalunya (Initiative for Catalonia, ICV, left-wing).

Related Topics:
Catalonia - Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya - Iniciativa per Catalunya

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In 2004, the PSOE won the Spanish legislative elections with almost 43% of the votes, following the 11-M terrorist attacks, and the elections to the European Parliament.

Related Topics:
Spanish legislative elections - 11-M - Terrorist

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PSOE called for Yes to the European Constitution proposal in the referendum held in 2005.

Related Topics:
European Constitution proposal - 2005

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