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The Attitudes of Spain's Political Parties Toward the European Union and the Integration of the Euro Meghan Miller University of North Florida

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The Attitudes of Spain's Political Parties Toward the European Union and the Integration of the Euro Meghan Miller University of North Florida University of North Florida UNF Digital Commons All Volumes (2001-2008) The sprO ey Journal of Ideas and Inquiry 2003 The Attitudes of Spain's Political Parties toward the European Union and the Integration of the Euro Meghan Miller University of North Florida Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unf.edu/ojii_volumes Part of the Political Science Commons Suggested Citation Miller, Meghan, "The ttA itudes of Spain's Political Parties toward the European Union and the Integration of the Euro" (2003). All Volumes (2001-2008). 102. http://digitalcommons.unf.edu/ojii_volumes/102 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the The sprO ey Journal of Ideas and Inquiry at UNF Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Volumes (2001-2008) by an authorized administrator of UNF Digital Commons. For more information, please contact Digital Projects. © 2003 All Rights Reserved The Attitudes of Spain's Political the EU above and relinquish more control to Parties toward the European Autonomous Communities below? Union and the Integration of the This research endeavors to determine the ramifications of this new, grandiose, Euro international order on a micro-political level through the study of four political parties in Meghan Miller Spain. The parties include the People's Party (PP) and the Spanish Socialist Faculty Sponsor: Worker's Party (PSOE), both with a national Dr. David Schwam-Baird, base, and Convergence and Union (CiU) of Assistant Professor of Political Science Catalonia and the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), which are two of the most *A special thanks to the 8 gentlemen who influential nationalist parties. The following granted me an interview for this research analysis thoroughly examines the attitudes project. Their generosity and participation of these parties towards European Union as are very much appreciated and will certainly well as the recent introduction of the euro. help others to achieve a better understanding This paper will explain how the European of Spain's political culture and future. And and monetary union has eliminated certain to Dr. Schwam-Baird, whose guidance and elements of Spain's sovereignty and how expertise made the completion of this this and integration into the EU has affected project possible. the central and regional governments. With over 30 parties, Spain's political Historical Background landscape seems just as varied as its geographical one. Out from under the The book Spanish Politics Today, by John repression of Franco's forty-year Gibbons, asserts that through a machinery of dictatorship following his death in 1975, repression Franco tried to develop a political and social expression was captured 'homogenized Spain.' In actuality this regionally and is still represented in this stimulated separatism, regionalism and a form politically and ideologically. Due to desire for independence in later years (15). these distinct cultural divisions within the Franco's brutal efforts to create a one true Spanish state, it may be better termed a Spanish identity had indeed failed. Though the country of different nations. Spain is expressions of many people's historical and composed of 17 Autonomous Communities cultural roots were limited by military use of in its semi-federalized structure and each force, they were all but forgotten during the one is endowed with numerous powers, dictatorship that lasted from 1939 - 1975. similar to our collection of states, granted to The languages and customs proved very it by the central government headquartered much alive in areas such as Navarre, in Madrid. Inevitably economic, social, and Galicia, Valencia, Catalonia and the Basque nationalist tensions between these very Country shortly after Franco's death. different Autonomous Communities and the Moreover, these regions quickly unified central government show up in the capital's themselves politically in order to acquire political arena. As Spain continues to take their rights to autonomy and independence progressive steps towards unification with from the Spanish central government that the much newer, larger, multi-state political were denied to them during dictatorship. entity, the European Union, it finds itself in After the end of Francoism a significant a curious dynamic sandwiched between amount of authority and control was layers of power. What will remain of Spain distributed among these regions with the if it continues to cede more sovereignty to adoption of the Constitution of 1978, which 110 Osprey Journal of Ideas and Inquiry fashioned the Autonomous Communities. exchange for certain concessions. For As.explained by Jose Alvarez Junco and example, in 1993 PSOE was falling short of Adrian Shubert in Spanish History Since support for the upcoming elections. They 1808, "Sovereignty was kept by the Spanish strategically decided to join alliances with state, which transferred broad powers to the the main Catalan party, Convergence and Autonomous Communities, including Union (CiU), and in doing so they formed a legislative and executive authority in areas minority government. such as agriculture, fishing activities, Although CiU is situated on the center­ transport, culture and education public right, meaning more free-market oriented, health, tourism and commerce." (323) and the PSOE is on the center-left and more This new democracy envisioned a labor union oriented, the alliance seemed pluralist system well aware of the various workable because the PSOE was advocating cultures within the Spanish state. Overall, the transference of more autonomy to the Spain has been successful at preserving a regions, which obviously fit together nicely strong state. Yet, Spanish politics has been with CiU's objectives. Yet, later in 1995 "In marked by the struggle for power between the face of scandal, Jordi Pujol, president of the central government and Autonomous the regional government of Catalonia Communities, especially those of Catalonia withdrew his parliamentary support" (Junco and Euskadi (the Basque name for the 344) of the PSOE government after certain Basque Country). internal corruption had exposed to the For the past three decades the two public. CiU then supported the PP largest parties have been the Spanish government from 1996 on. This illustrates Socialist Worker Party and the People's the 10velhate relationship of nationalist Party. As "leftwing" and "rightwing" parties parties and central government parties that respectively, these two parties embody is perceived from Spanish politics and an political proof of a sense of Spanish identity interesting aspect of how the parliamentary and are considered parties of the central system can function. government. In its first four terms of Since the People's Party overtook government from 1982 to 1996 "the PSOE PSOE in the 1996, and having elected contrived to advocate and support the current President Jose Maria Aznar, issues transfer of powers of more finances and between the regional and central services to the regions and nationalities ... it governments have not diminished. One of also warned of the dangers of excessive the major causes for unrest among them is fragmentation and the need for an overall the European Union. The Spanish state has ceiling (techo) on transfers, as the PSOE put essentially entrusted the European Union it, to preserve the integrity of the state." with some important powers previously (Gibbons 27) Spain was willing to grant a handled by the state. Matters and policies substantial amount of control to the regions that effect Spanish territory are no longer hoping that this would quench their thirst solely decided by Spain. Even though for self-government and leave the Spanish Spain, like all other members, can state intact. participate in the decision-making process, Indeed the struggle for power between the EU has the final say. EU members have the regions and central government has to compromise a certain amount of plagued Spanish politics since the beginning sovereignty in order for the collection of of its new democracy. Trying to balance the European states to properly function as an two is one of the challenges for governing international entity. When the EU addresses parties. Also, it is not uncommon in Spain's topics that directly concern the Basque and parliamentary system for nationalist parties Catalonian regions their inhabitants feel that to support central governing parties in they should be permitted to partake in this Osprey Journal of Ideas and Inquiry 111 political process. Consequently, regional Basque Country, and the CiU in Catalonia and state politics collide in Spain. and set out for Spain. CiU has held the majority of votes in The Conflict Catalonia since 1980, and thus due to Convergence i Union's importance, I traveled Before joining the EU, more to the capital of Catalonia, Barcelona, in jurisdictions over regional outcomes was order to speak with representatives and listen dealt to Autonomous Communities by the to their position on European and monetary Spanish state. However, because the EU is union in efforts to understand how it effects officially composed of its member states, their party and region as well as their confusion over regional representation relationship with the parties of the central arises. Basques and Catalans feel that a large government PSOE and PP. part of their previous authority has now been I also journeyed to Bilbao and Vitoria­ transferred back to the state because Gasteiz, the seat of the Basque presidency,
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