Democratic Center Union (Spain)
Encyclopedia
The Union of the Democratic Centre was an electoral coalition, and later political party
, in Spain
, existing from 1977 to 1983, and initially led by Adolfo Suárez
.
, with the involvement of leaders from a variety of newly formed centrist and rightist factions, under the leadership of Suárez, then Prime Minister
. The principal components of the UCD defined themselves as Christian democrats
, liberals
, social democrats
, or “independents,” the latter frequently comprising conservative
elements which had been part of the Franco regime. UCD constituted itself as a party on 4 August 1977.
The UCD governed Spain to 1982. In the elections
of 15 June 1977, the party took 34.4% of the vote and 166 seats of the 350 in the Congress of Deputies
. The party governed as a minority and worked with all major parties in the Congress, including the rightist People’s Alliance and the parties of the left, the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
(PSOE) and Communists (PCE). Suárez became the first democratically chosen prime minister of Spain after the Franco period. The UCD played a major role in writing the new constitution
, as three of the seven members of the constitutional drafting commission, established after those elections, came from the party. In March 1979 the UCD again won the elections
but could not attain a majority, with 34.8% of the vote and 168 deputies.
for the remainder of the term of the Cortes
. Many believe that the only factor that had kept the party together was the writing of the constitution. With that work done, the party became increasingly unpopular due to the growth of unemployment, inflation and the general economic crisis affecting the country.
On 10 November 1981 Manuel Díaz-Piniés resigned from the party and 1 February 1982 he, together with three other deputies Miguel Herrero de Miñón, Ricardo de la Cierva and Francisco Soler Valero
joined the Popular Alliance
(AP). The first of a number of breakaway parties emerged three days later on 4 February 1982 when 10 UCD deputies from the left of the party - Francisco Fernández Ordóñez
, Antonio Alfonso Quirós, Luis Berenguer, Carmela García Moreno, Ciriaco Díaz Porras, Luis González Seara, Eduardo Moreno, Javier Moscoso, María Dolores Pelayo and Carmen Solano formed the Democratic Action Party (Partido de Acción Democrática/PAD). This group stood as part of the PSOE list in the 1982 election and merged with the PSOE in January 1983.
In Summer 1982 the party splintered further. Two deputies Modesto Fraile and Carlos Gila quit the party and in August they along with 11 other UCD deputies (Oscar Alzaga, Mariano Alierta, Joaquín Galant, Julen Guimon, María Josefa Lafuente, José Luis Moreno, Francisco Olivencia, José Manuel Otero, José Pin Arboledas
, José Luis Ruiz Navarro and Luis Vega) formed the Democratic Popular Party
(PDP). This party allied itself with the AP for the 1982 election.
Also in August, 16 deputies, headed by the former leader and Prime Minister Adolfo Suarez formed the Democratic and Social Centre (CDS). Among the founding members were deputies such as Agustín Rodríguez Sahagún
, Jaume Barnola, León Buil, Rafael Calvo Ortega, José María Mesa, Josep Pujadas, José Javier Rodríguez Alcaide and Manuel de Sàrraga The CDS fought the 1982 election in direct competition with the UCD.
Although the UCD had been joined by José María de Areilza
and Antoni de Senillosa, who had defected from the AP, the UCD party group had now been reduced to 124 deputies - 52 short of a majority. The PSOE at this point had 118 deputies and could also count on the support of the 10 deputies of the PAD and the 21 members of the Communist Party. In light of this new situation in Parliament, Calvo Sotelo called fresh elections.
, the socialists convincingly won the 1982 general election
. The UCD, presenting Landelino Lavilla as its candidate for prime minister, took only 6.7% of the vote and 11 seats, losing over 100 of their sitting deputies. The CDS also fared poorly, with only two of its sixteen sitting deputies winning seats.
Most of the UCD’s electorate became supporters of the AP-PDP alliance, which later became the People's Party
, today Spain's principal conservative party. The AP-PDP displaced the UCD as the main alternative to the PSOE.
Many ex ministers and leaders of UCD also joined the AP ranks. Subsequently, the UCD was disbanded on 18 February 1983.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
, in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, existing from 1977 to 1983, and initially led by Adolfo Suárez
Adolfo Suárez
Adolfo Suárez y González, 1st Duke of Suárez, Grandee of Spain, KOGF is a Spanish lawyer and politician. Suárez was Spain's first democratically elected prime minister after the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, and the key figure in the country's transition to democracy.-Parents:He is a son of...
.
History
The coalition, in fact a federation of parties, was formed on 3 May 1977, during the transition to democracy from the dictatorship of Francisco FrancoFrancisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
, with the involvement of leaders from a variety of newly formed centrist and rightist factions, under the leadership of Suárez, then Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Spain
The President of the Government of Spain , sometimes known in English as the Prime Minister of Spain, is the head of Government of Spain. The current office is established under the Constitution of 1978...
. The principal components of the UCD defined themselves as Christian democrats
Christian Democracy
Christian democracy is a political ideology that seeks to apply Christian principles to public policy. It emerged in nineteenth-century Europe under the influence of conservatism and Catholic social teaching...
, liberals
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
, social democrats
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
, or “independents,” the latter frequently comprising conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
elements which had been part of the Franco regime. UCD constituted itself as a party on 4 August 1977.
The UCD governed Spain to 1982. In the elections
Spanish general election, 1977
The Spanish general election of 1977 took place on 15 June 1977. It was the first election since the death of Francisco Franco.Voting was on the basis of universal suffrage in a secret ballot. The elections were held using closed list proportional representation in 52 electoral districts...
of 15 June 1977, the party took 34.4% of the vote and 166 seats of the 350 in the Congress of Deputies
Spanish Congress of Deputies
The Spanish Congress of Deputies is the lower house of the Cortes Generales, Spain's legislative branch. It has 350 members, elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional representation in constituencies matching the Spanish provinces using the D'Hondt method. Deputies serve four-year terms...
. The party governed as a minority and worked with all major parties in the Congress, including the rightist People’s Alliance and the parties of the left, the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
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...
(PSOE) and Communists (PCE). Suárez became the first democratically chosen prime minister of Spain after the Franco period. The UCD played a major role in writing the new constitution
Spanish Constitution of 1978
-Structure of the State:The Constitution recognizes the existence of nationalities and regions . Preliminary Title As a result, Spain is now composed entirely of 17 Autonomous Communities and two autonomous cities with varying degrees of autonomy, to the extent that, even though the Constitution...
, as three of the seven members of the constitutional drafting commission, established after those elections, came from the party. In March 1979 the UCD again won the elections
Spanish general election, 1979
General elections were held in Spain on 1 March 1979.-References:* *...
but could not attain a majority, with 34.8% of the vote and 168 deputies.
Internal divisions
The fundamental reason for the party’s disappearance was internal conflict between its diverse factions, which led to the resignation of Suárez as prime minister in January 1981. Suárez was replaced by Leopoldo Calvo SoteloLeopoldo Calvo Sotelo
Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo y Bustelo, 1st Marquis of the Ría of Ribadeo and Grandee of Spain was a Spanish political figure and prime minister during the period of transition after the end of Francisco Franco's regime.-Biography:...
for the remainder of the term of the Cortes
Cortes Generales
The Cortes Generales is the legislature of Spain. It is a bicameral parliament, composed of the Congress of Deputies and the Senate . The Cortes has power to enact any law and to amend the constitution...
. Many believe that the only factor that had kept the party together was the writing of the constitution. With that work done, the party became increasingly unpopular due to the growth of unemployment, inflation and the general economic crisis affecting the country.
Splits and defections 1980-1982
During the course of the 1979-1982 legislature the party suffered a number of serious splits and defections. On 7 March 1980, Joaquim Molins resigned from the UCD group and later joined the Catalan Nationalist Convergence and Union. On 25 April 1980, Manuel Clavero resigned from the party in disputes over the statute of autonomy for Andalusia. Two months later, José García Pérez resigned over the same issue. García joined the Andalusian Socialist Party on 1 September 1981.On 10 November 1981 Manuel Díaz-Piniés resigned from the party and 1 February 1982 he, together with three other deputies Miguel Herrero de Miñón, Ricardo de la Cierva and Francisco Soler Valero
Francisco Soler Valero
Francisco Soler Valero was a lawyer and Spanish politician.Married with two children, Soler held a doctorate in law and was a practising lawyer...
joined the Popular Alliance
Popular Alliance (Spain)
The People's Alliance was a electoral coalition, and later a political party, founded in 1976 by Manuel Fraga along with six other former Francoist ministers.- History :...
(AP). The first of a number of breakaway parties emerged three days later on 4 February 1982 when 10 UCD deputies from the left of the party - Francisco Fernández Ordóñez
Francisco Fernández Ordóñez
Francisco Fernández Ordóñez was a Spanish politician who became Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party government of Felipe González from 1985 until shortly before his death from a terminal illness in 1992...
, Antonio Alfonso Quirós, Luis Berenguer, Carmela García Moreno, Ciriaco Díaz Porras, Luis González Seara, Eduardo Moreno, Javier Moscoso, María Dolores Pelayo and Carmen Solano formed the Democratic Action Party (Partido de Acción Democrática/PAD). This group stood as part of the PSOE list in the 1982 election and merged with the PSOE in January 1983.
In Summer 1982 the party splintered further. Two deputies Modesto Fraile and Carlos Gila quit the party and in August they along with 11 other UCD deputies (Oscar Alzaga, Mariano Alierta, Joaquín Galant, Julen Guimon, María Josefa Lafuente, José Luis Moreno, Francisco Olivencia, José Manuel Otero, José Pin Arboledas
José Pin Arboledas
José Pin Arboledas is a Spanish economist and politician.After gaining a degree in economics from the University of Valencia, he became involved in politics, helping to found the People's Party . That party, not to be confused with the current grouping of the same name, joined with other parties...
, José Luis Ruiz Navarro and Luis Vega) formed the Democratic Popular Party
Democratic Popular Party (Spain)
The People's Democratic Party was a christian-democratic Spanish political party.It was part of the Democratic Centre Union until 1982, when it entered into alliance with the Popular Alliance , which received the second largest number of votes in 1982 and 1986 elections.In 1989 the party, along...
(PDP). This party allied itself with the AP for the 1982 election.
Also in August, 16 deputies, headed by the former leader and Prime Minister Adolfo Suarez formed the Democratic and Social Centre (CDS). Among the founding members were deputies such as Agustín Rodríguez Sahagún
Agustín Rodríguez Sahagún
Agustín Rodríguez Sahagún was a Spanish politician and businessman as well as being a doctor in economics and law who was best known as being the mayor of Madrid from 1989-1991....
, Jaume Barnola, León Buil, Rafael Calvo Ortega, José María Mesa, Josep Pujadas, José Javier Rodríguez Alcaide and Manuel de Sàrraga The CDS fought the 1982 election in direct competition with the UCD.
Although the UCD had been joined by José María de Areilza
José María de Areilza
Don José María de Areilza y Martínez-Rodas, 3rd Count of Rodas, jure uxoris Count of Motrico was a Spanish politician engineer and diplomat....
and Antoni de Senillosa, who had defected from the AP, the UCD party group had now been reduced to 124 deputies - 52 short of a majority. The PSOE at this point had 118 deputies and could also count on the support of the 10 deputies of the PAD and the 21 members of the Communist Party. In light of this new situation in Parliament, Calvo Sotelo called fresh elections.
1982 election and disbanding
Following the attempted coup of 198123-F
23-F was an attempted coup d'état in Spain that began on 23 February 1981 and ended on the following day. It is also known as El Tejerazo from the name of its most visible figure, Antonio Tejero, who led the failed coup's most notable event: the bursting into the Spanish Congress of Deputies by a...
, the socialists convincingly won the 1982 general election
Spanish general election, 1982
General elections were held in Spain on 28 October 1982.PSOE and PSC presented two different lists of candidates: with the PSOE contesting most of Spain and the PSC only standing in Catalonia...
. The UCD, presenting Landelino Lavilla as its candidate for prime minister, took only 6.7% of the vote and 11 seats, losing over 100 of their sitting deputies. The CDS also fared poorly, with only two of its sixteen sitting deputies winning seats.
Most of the UCD’s electorate became supporters of the AP-PDP alliance, which later became the People's Party
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...
, today Spain's principal conservative party. The AP-PDP displaced the UCD as the main alternative to the PSOE.
Many ex ministers and leaders of UCD also joined the AP ranks. Subsequently, the UCD was disbanded on 18 February 1983.
See also
- Politics of SpainPolitics of SpainThe politics of Spain take place in the framework of a parliamentary representative democratic constitutional monarchy, whereby the Monarch is the Head of State and the President of the Government is the head of government in a multi-party system. Executive power is vested in the government...
- Spanish transition to democracySpanish transition to democracyThe Spanish transition to democracy was the era when Spain moved from the dictatorship of Francisco Franco to a liberal democratic state. The transition is usually said to have begun with Franco’s death on 20 November 1975, while its completion has been variously said to be marked by the Spanish...