Aragonese Corts
Encyclopedia
The Aragonese Corts is the regional parliament for the Spanish autonomous community
of Aragon
. The Corts traces its history back to meetings summoned by the Kings of Aragon which began in 1162. Abolished in 1707, the Corts were revived in 1983 following the passing of a Statute of Autonomy
.
, annually. The main business of the Corts was judicial - solving disputes between individuals or towns or dealing with complaints or grievances concerning the King's officers or Estates. The Corts also approved legislation and voted on tax issues. The Corts was organised into four Estates or branches: the clergy, the great nobles , the Knights and the towns.
For the more important laws, unanimity was required between each of the Corts' four Estates ('nemine descriptante'). Each member could veto any law in which case the decision would be recorded as 'unamiter excepto N.N.' which allowed for further debates and discussions, although these too often ended in stalemates with no agreement being reached. In such cases, the decision was referred to a permanent committee which consisted of two representatives of each Estate who would judge whether the existing majority will was sound or not. These Corts were the model for the parliaments of Sardinia
and Sicily
. The Corts survived until 1707 when Philip V
issued the Nueva Planta decrees
, centralising political power and abolishing the former regional assemblies of the Crown of Aragon
.
The modern Corts were established in 1983 under Article 12 of the Statute of Autonomy for Aragon. This stature also sets out the functions of the Aragonese assembly in Article 16 and these include the election of the President of Aragon, approving the actions and legislation of the President, creating legislation, amending the Constitution of Aragon and supervising any relevant planning or economic projects. It must monitor borrowing and spending and appoint an Auditor General for Aragon. Additionally the legislature must elect the appropriate number of Senators to serve in the Spanish Senate
.
Autonomous communities of Spain
An autonomous community In other languages of Spain:*Catalan/Valencian .*Galician .*Basque . The second article of the constitution recognizes the rights of "nationalities and regions" to self-government and declares the "indissoluble unity of the Spanish nation".Political power in Spain is...
of Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
. The Corts traces its history back to meetings summoned by the Kings of Aragon which began in 1162. Abolished in 1707, the Corts were revived in 1983 following the passing of a Statute of Autonomy
Statute of Autonomy
Nominally, a Statute of Autonomy is a law hierarchically located under the constitution of a country, and over any other form of legislation...
.
Early Corts
The King of Aragon was bound to summon the Corts at least once every five years and following the union with CataloniaCatalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, annually. The main business of the Corts was judicial - solving disputes between individuals or towns or dealing with complaints or grievances concerning the King's officers or Estates. The Corts also approved legislation and voted on tax issues. The Corts was organised into four Estates or branches: the clergy, the great nobles , the Knights and the towns.
For the more important laws, unanimity was required between each of the Corts' four Estates ('nemine descriptante'). Each member could veto any law in which case the decision would be recorded as 'unamiter excepto N.N.' which allowed for further debates and discussions, although these too often ended in stalemates with no agreement being reached. In such cases, the decision was referred to a permanent committee which consisted of two representatives of each Estate who would judge whether the existing majority will was sound or not. These Corts were the model for the parliaments of Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
and Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. The Corts survived until 1707 when Philip V
Philip V of Spain
Philip V was King of Spain from 15 November 1700 to 15 January 1724, when he abdicated in favor of his son Louis, and from 6 September 1724, when he assumed the throne again upon his son's death, to his death.Before his reign, Philip occupied an exalted place in the royal family of France as a...
issued the Nueva Planta decrees
Nueva Planta decrees
The Nueva Planta decrees were a number of decrees signed between 1707 and 1716 by Philip V—the first Bourbon king of Spain—during and shortly after the end of the War of the Spanish Succession which he won....
, centralising political power and abolishing the former regional assemblies of the Crown of Aragon
Crown of Aragon
The Crown of Aragon Corona d'Aragón Corona d'Aragó Corona Aragonum controlling a large portion of the present-day eastern Spain and southeastern France, as well as some of the major islands and mainland possessions stretching across the Mediterranean as far as Greece...
.
Current Corts
Spanish Senate
The Senate of Spain is the upper house of Spain's parliament, the . It is made up of 264 members: 208 elected by popular vote, and 56 appointed by the regional legislatures. All senators serve four-year terms, though regional legislatures may recall their appointees at any time.The last election...
.
Speakers of the Corts
- Antonio Embid Irujo (1983-1987) - (Spanish Socialist Workers' PartySpanish Socialist Workers' PartyThe Spanish Socialist Workers' Party is a social-democratic political party in Spain. Its political position is Centre-left. The PSOE is the former ruling party of Spain, until beaten in the elections of November 2011 and the second oldest, exceeded only by the Partido Carlista, founded in...
, PSOE) - Juan Bautista Monserrat Mesanza (1987-1991) - (Democratic and Social Centre)
- Ángel Cristóbal Montes (1991-1995) - (People's PartyPeople's Party (Spain)The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship...
) - Emilio Eiroa García (1995-1999) - (Aragonese PartyAragonese PartyThe Aragonese Party is a political party which advocates the interests of Aragon within Spain. The party was founded in 1978 under the name Aragonese Regionalist Party, but changed its name in 1990, keeping the initials PAR....
) - José María Mur (1999-2003) - (Aragonese Party)
- Francisco Pina Cuenca (2003 - 2011) - (PSOE)
- José Ángel Biel (2011 - present) - (Aragonese Party)
Party strength (1983-present)
| Party | 1983 | 1987 | 1991 | 1995 | 1999 | 2003 | 2007 | 2011 |
| PSOE Spanish Socialist Workers' Party The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party is a social-democratic political party in Spain. Its political position is Centre-left. The PSOE is the former ruling party of Spain, until beaten in the elections of November 2011 and the second oldest, exceeded only by the Partido Carlista, founded in... |
33 | 27 | 30 | 19 | 23 | 27 | 30 | 22 |
| PP People's Party (Spain) The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship... |
18 | 13 | 17 | 27 | 28 | 22 | 23 | 30 |
| PAR Aragonese Party The Aragonese Party is a political party which advocates the interests of Aragon within Spain. The party was founded in 1978 under the name Aragonese Regionalist Party, but changed its name in 1990, keeping the initials PAR.... |
13 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 7 |
| CHA | - | - | - | 2 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 4 |
| IUA United Left (Spain) The United Left is a political coalition that was organized in 1986 bringing together several political organisations opposed to Spain joining NATO. It was formed by a number of groups of leftists, greens, left-wing socialists and republicans, but was dominated by the Communist Party of Spain... |
1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| CDS | 1 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 67 | 67 | 67 | 67 | 67 | 67 | 67 | 67 |
Presidents and Governments of Aragon
- 1983-1987 Santiago Marraco, PSOE government
- 1987-1991 Hipólito Gómez de las Roces initially a PAR government with support from PP. From March 1989 a coalition of PAR and PP ruled.
- 1991-1993 Emilio Eiroa (PAR), PAR-PP coalition. In September 1993 a former PP deputy together with IU and PSOE deputies passed a no-confidence motion.
- 1993-1995 José Marco, PSOE government with IU support. Marco resigned in January 1995.
- 1995 Ramón Tejedor, PSOE government with IU support from January 1995 until elections in May 1995.
- 1995-1999 Santiago Lanzuela MarinaSantiago Lanzuela MarinaSantiago Lanzuela Marina is a Spanish politician who belongs to the People's Party and who previously served as President of Aragon, one of the Spanish regional administrations....
, PP government with initial support from PAR. - 1999-2011 Marcelino Iglesias (PSOE), PSOE-PAR coalition
- 2011-present Luisa Fernanda Rudi UbedaLuisa Fernanda Rudi UbedaLuisa Fernanda Rudi Ubeda is a Spanish politician andMember of the European Parliament with the People's Party. She is a member of the Bureau of the European People's Party and sits on...
(PP), PP-PAR coalition