SUMMARY

Since 1978, the Government of Spain has operated a parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy. Prior to this, the government employed a system of “organic democracy”, which utilized political representation of the main institutions of society such as families and universities rather than the populace. This was implemented under the right-wing leadership of General Francisco Franco, who ruled from 1939 until his death in 1975.

The Spanish military forces comprise an army, navy and air force. In 2019, it had 120 000 active armed troops.

In 1984, France began collaborating with Spanish authorities by investigating, arresting and extraditing known ETA operatives in the country. The level of collaboration increased throughout the late 1980s and 1990s