Old world, new challenges

Re-elected prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero's reforms are helping to reshape Spain for the 21st century

Spain is an old European country. Its history follows thefamiliar pattern of Europe’s great nations. The unification of theChristian kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula (minus Portugal) in the15th century set Spain up to become a global power in the 16thcentury. However, Spain fell into a slow decline in the 17th and18th centuries and the French invasion of 1808 and the loss ofoverseas territories in the Americas and the Philippines broughthome the lesson that imperial politics were costly and led to deepdivisions over the country’s future. Two opposing political viewsconfronted each other after Napoleon’s invasion in 1808: theliberal-reformists on the one hand and theconservative-traditionalists on the other. Between 1808 and 1939Spain experienced five civil wars and countless coups d’état, aswell as several uprisings and long periods of unstablegovernment.

In 1975 General Franco died after a lengthy reign of almost 40years. Expectations, both at home and abroad, that things couldimprove after the dictator’s death were faint. Pessimism about thefuture of the country was dominant at the time. In the yearsfollowing his death, the country literally had to reinvent itselfin order to face the challenges of its new circumstances. Ademocratic constitution was adopted in 1978 that guaranteedpolitical freedom, regional self-government and the rule of law.The electoral behaviour of the Spanish people since the firstdemocratic elections in 1977 has been remarkably consistent andresponsible, again contrary to what was then expected. After atransitional period of five years under the centrist rule of AdolfoSuárez, Spain has enjoyed stable, long-lasting governments: thesocialist government of Felipe González between 1982 and 1996, theconservative government of José María Aznar between 1996 and 2004,and again a socialist government this time under José LuisRodríguez Zapatero since 2004.

Political stability has been rewarded with economic progress.Economic development has given opportunities for governments tointroduce social measures aimed at establishing a modern,egalitarian society. The socialist government of Rodríguez Zapateroundertook in 2004 an ambitious programme of social reforms whichhave led to a rebuilding or reshaping of the country. Spain ispreparing itself to face the challenges of the 21st century. At theend of 2007 Spain took in five million immigrants, and thepopulation leaped to 45 million. Economic growth at the end of lastyear was 3.8 per cent and employment reached an all-time high. Thepublic accounts of the 2007 fiscal year closed with a 2.5 per centsurplus. A special reserve fund for pensions is now endowed with€50bn. The electoral success of the Socialist party in March 2008shows that citizens have endorsed Zapatero’s reforms as well asbacking national concerns to preserve stability.

The reforms undertaken by the Zapatero government since 2004include a new balance in the relationship between centralgovernment and regional and local governments, the strengthening ofthe country’s legal system and the streamlining of theadministration, the achievement of social equality and themodernisation of the educational and research systems, as well as asubstantial involvement in international peacekeeping operationsand aid to the third world.
Spain is now preparing itself for its 2010 presidency of thecouncil of ministers of the EU. The changes carried out during thelast four years and the new programme of reforms planned forZapatero’s second term should enable this old country to make asubstantial contribution to the development of the newEurope.

Above and beyond any political or ideological differences, theSpanish people appear united in their purpose to help achieve thegoals of European political unity. The Spaniards are now reshapingtheir country in order to make it fit to contribute to the goals ofEuropean integration. The 2010 Spanish presidency will be a test ofthe resilience of the country and of its ability to adapt to thenew times.