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December 1976 The Volunteer Published As A Public Service By The VETERANS OF THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN BRIGADE 799 Broadway, N Y. C. 10003 DECEMBER, 1976 The Political Future of Spain: Is Francoism Dead? Reunion In Florence By Alvah Bessie. By BILL WATSON (Nov. 29, 1976) Watching Spanish politics from a articles on police torture) and FLORENCE, October 10 - On the distance used to be a relatively determined to get out the important face of it, it was incredible. Here simple process. There were rarely news. were about 1,000 veterans of the any fundamental changes in the The “opening” of the press itself International Brigades from over 20 Franco regime, and the few changes reflects the most astonishing nations, including 68 of our own there were did not challenge the development since Franco’s death – from all over the United States, repressive character of the political life is quickly resuming its meeting in Italy over an October dictatorship or the firm grip - former vitality to the point that Spain weekend to commemorate the 40th stranglehold would be a better word - is becoming the most politically anniversary of the Brigades. General Franco maintained over conscious country in Europe. It was so long ago! Franco had political life. In fact, watching In virtually every region of Spain been dead almost 11 months, but his Spanish politics from the outside was preparations are underway for a regime was far from dead, and all the even an advantage, because one different kind of political future. veterans we saw - some for the first could learn more from IA Monde, Political parties are being organized; time in 37 or 38 years - all looked The New York Times, and Spanish the free trade union movement is anywhere from 10 to 20 years exile publications than one could gaining momentum; there is talk younger than they actually were. from anything published in Spain everywhere of reforming the In that beautiful Renaissance city itself. antiquated structures of Spanish in Tuscany. the home of All that has changed in the last education; women’s groups, Michelangelo and Leonardo da couple of years, especially since neighborhood associations, and Vinci, of Botticelli and Dante, time General Franco’s death. The press in professional organizations are rolled away in the beautiful golden Spain still lacks the guarantees of a asserting their initiative in ways that haze that seems to lie over the city all free press and is still timid on a would have been impossible a year the time. we were there - but we were number of topics (see, for example, ago. And with the resurgent also back in 1937 and 1938 and some the sentimental article on the democratic mood and activity has of the men on the platform had anniversary of Franco’s death in come the reassertation of regional fought with the Garibaldini and at Cambio 16 for the week of interests, not only in the traditionally least one of them November 22-28). But it is strong centers of Catalunya and the nonetheless an interesting press, Basque Country, but also in Galicia, Continued on pg. 4 willing to take risks (such as the the Levante, and parts of Political Future: Continued from pg. 1 Andalusia. could campaign against political government. Yet they will probably where this renewed political ac- change. The size of the vote, give it overwhelming support, tivity will eventually lead, no one can moreover, (425 to 59 with 13 absten- because they really have no responsibly say right now. No doubt tions) indicates that an obstructionist alternative. To vote "no" or to abstain some of this energy will prove short- campaign cannot even be organized could be interpreted - Undoubtedly lived; some of it will he dissipated in within the now fragmented would he interpreted -as support for factional in-fighting as parties and movement. The reason for Bunker's the Francoist system, something that trade union organizations jockey for failure cannot be assigned to the only a small fraction of the Spanish positions of power and influenced. It persuasiveness of Prime Minister voters are prepared to do, as the is quite possible that the first flush of Adolfo Subarez, though he government knows perfectly well political freedom will produce negotiated the government sponsored before the referendum is held. political confusion in the country as a vote with considerable skill. The Thus the government's real purpose whole, with centers of liberalism so- reason is that the Cortes members in the referendum is to legitimize its cialism in the industrialized regions can read the political realities of the position. It wants a popular mandate, of Catalunya and the Basque Country country as well as anyone. There is even if it is fraudulent, so that its and in some of the major cities and a no political future in Francoism, and hand will be strengthened in dealing conservative, perhaps even a anyone who wishes to engage in with the opposition when it comes Movement-style reaction in the rest political life in the next several years time to spell out the actual details of of the country. has to begin by accepting the fact the electoral law. Already the opposi- One political fact, however, is al- that the rules of the game are now tion, in a joint declaration issued on ready clear: a year after General changed. November 27, has made it clear that Franco's death Francoism is a dis- What precisely those rules will be, the referendum and the general appearing legacy. To be sure, the old of course, is a critical question. The elections will not have democratic forms of Spanish fascism persist, the fact that a major Francoist institution legitimacy unless they meet the military still casts a shadow over voted itself out of existence does not following conditions: political life, the trade unions are not mean that the interests embedded in 1) All political party and labor un- free, political parties are still illegal, Francoism have abandoned the ions, without exclusion, must be and the movement still controls key struggle to determine the political recognized as legal organizations political institutions. But nobody in future of the country or that the before the elections are held; Spain believes or, more to the point, government will not try to control the 2) The government must recognize is acting as though this state of democratic opposition by restricting and guarantee political and labor affairs is going to last for much its freedom of action. The political union freedoms so that campaigns longer. In the long run there is not a struggle in the next several months, can be conducted without harassment thing the present government, the therefore, will concentrate on the and obstruction; military, or the old guard Bunker can conditions governing the conduct of 3) The political apparatus of the do to prevent the upsurge of elections. The government has thus National Movement must be dis- democratic sentiment from sweeping far refused to spell out the terms of solved and the political neutrality of away the political legacy of General the electoral law for fear of com- the Administration guaranteed before Franco. promising the vote dissolving the the election campaigns begin This is why the November 18 vote Cortes. It has now scheduled a 4) True political amnesty must be of the Francoist Parliament to abolish referendum for December in which granted, not the selective political itself in favor of a democratically the Spanish people will be asked to amnesty that has thus far excluded elected Parliament is of historical confirm the Cortes vote by accepting more than a hundred Basque ac- importance. Nobody should be a multiparty parliamentary system. tivists. deceived that democracy has been The referendum has been rightly 5) Fair access to the established in Spain as a result of this called a political fraud, because the government-controlled radio and vote, but neither should those who Spanish people are being asked to television media must be guaranteed have been fighting for a democratic approve of a system whose real to all parties; Spain for forty years discount its character is still unknown. They took 6) The opposition groups and not importance. The November 18 vote no part in formulating the plan, they the government alone, must take part removes a major obstacle to political have no way of knowing whether it in negotiating the rules and reform. It takes away one of the most will guarantee political democracy, procedures used in both votes; visible platforms from which the ap- and their decision, regardless of what 7) The necessity of creating polit pointed holdovers of the old guard it is, is not binding on the ical institutions responsive to the in- By Milt Cohen embarking upon organizing the An- terests of the various regions of nual Dinner which we hope to make Spain must be recognized. The Chicago Post met on Nov. the largest in the history of this Post. How forceful the opposition will be 12th to hear a report on the 40th An- The theme of the 40th Anniversary in insisting on these conditions and niversary in Florence. It was well Dinner will be to honor the many how responsive the government will attended, three fourths of the women who have served in the be to these demands in the next Chicago Vets attending. The reports Spanish Civil War as nurses, several months will determine on the events' in Italy were ambulance drivers, administrative, whether Spain will have a genuinely enthusiastically received with many etc. It will take place on Sunday, democratic government or a mere questions asked. February 6th.
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