Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
Encyclopedia
The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party ( parˈtiðo soθjaˈlista oˈβrero espaˈɲol, PSOE peˈsoe) 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 1833.
The PSOE has had strong ties with the General Union of Workers
(UGT), a Spanish trade union
. For decades, UGT membership was a requirement for PSOE membership. During the 1980s, though, UGT criticised the economic policies of the PSOE, even calling for a general strike
on December 14, 1988.
Since the General election on 14 March 2004, the PSOE has been the governing party of Spain. The PSOE is a full member of the Party of European Socialists
and the Socialist International
. In the European Parliament
, the PSOE's 21 MEPs
sit in the Socialists and Democrats
European parliamentary group.
born from the Industrial Revolution
with the declared objective of achieving socialism
, and inspired by the revolutionary principles of Marxism
.
After the 1979 extraordinary congress, the PSOE renounced Marxism as its main ideology, becoming a social-democratic party. Currently, the party has moved away from left-wing politics
, adopting a Third Way
approach and supporting free-market policies, including reforms to curtail the Spanish welfare state
.
) by the historical Spanish workers' leader Pablo Iglesias
. The first program of the new political party was passed in an assembly of 40 people, on July 20 of that same year. Although the PSOE was rather weak during the late 19th century, its active participation in strikes from 1899 to 1902 and especially its electoral coalition with the main Republican parties led in 1910 to the election of Pablo Iglesias as the first Socialist representative in the Spanish Cortes.
The party was a member of the Labour and Socialist International
between 1923 and 1940.
PSOE formed part of the Spanish government during the Second Spanish Republic
and as part of the Spanish Popular Front, elected to government in February 1936. During the civil war years, PSOE was divided into three wings: a leftist revolutionary Marxist wing, led by Francisco Largo Caballero
that advocated dictatorship of the proletariat
, nationalization
of every industry, and total redistribution of land; a moderate, social-democratic faction, led by Indalecio Prieto
; and a reformist one, led by Julian Besteiro
.
The dictator Francisco Franco
banned the PSOE in 1939, and the party was legalised again in 1977. During Franco's rule members of the PSOE was persecuted, with many leaders, members and supporters being imprisoned or exile
d and even executed.
in August 1972. In 1974 at its 26th Congress in Suresnes
, Felipe González
was elected Secretary General, replacing Rodolfo Llopis Ferrándiz. González was from the "reform" wing of the party, and his victory signaled a defeat for the historic and veteran wing of the Party. The direction of the party shifted from the exiles to the young people in Spain who hadn't fought the war.
Llopis led a schism to form the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (historic) González showed intentions to move the party away from its Marxist
and socialist
background, turning the PSOE into a social-democratic party, similar to those of the rest of western Europe. In 1977 PSOE became the official opposition
party with 29.2% of the vote and 118 seats in the Parliament
. Their standing was further boosted in 1978 when the 6 deputies of the Popular Socialist Party
agreed to merge with the party.
In their 27th congress in May 1979 González resigned because the party would not abandon its Marxist character. In September the extraordinary 28th congress was called in which González was re-elected when the party agreed to move away from Marxism. European social-democratic parties supported González's stand, and the Social Democratic Party of Germany
granted them money. The PSOE party symbol was changed from the anvil with the book to the social-democratic rose
in the fist, as used by the French Socialist Party
. In the referendum of 1978, PSOE supported the Spanish Constitution
, which was approved. In the 1979 Spanish general election
the PSOE gained 30.5% of the vote and 121 seats, remaining the main opposition party.
At the 28 October 1982 Spanish general election
, the PSOE was victorious, with 48.5% of the vote (10,000,000 total). Felipe González became Prime Minister of Spain
on 2 December, a position he held until March 1996.
Though the party had previously opposed NATO, after reaching the government most party leaders supported keeping Spain inside the organisation. The González administration organised a referendum on the question in 1986, calling for a favourable vote, and won. The administration was criticised for avoiding the official names of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and NATO, using the unofficial Atlantic Alliance terms. A symbol of this U-turn is Javier Solana
who campaigned against NATO but ended up years later as its Secretary General.
PSOE Supported the United States in the Gulf War
(1991). The PSOE won the 1986, 1989 and 1993 general elections.
Economic crisis, several corruption scandals and state terrorism
(GAL
) against the violent separatist group ETA
eroded the popularity of Felipe González, and in 1996, the PSOE lost the elections to the conservative People's Party
(PP). Between 1996 and 2001 the PSOE weathered a crisis, with Gonzalez resigning in 1997. The PSOE suffered a heavy defeat in 2000 (34.7%).
The PSOE remained as the ruling party in the autonomous communities
of Andalusia
, Extremadura
, Castilla-La Mancha and Asturias
.
In 2001, a new general secretary, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
(also known as ZP), was elected, renewing the party. Later, the PSOE won the municipal elections of 2003.
PSOE strongly opposed to the Iraq War, which was supported by the PP.
On 13 November 2003 the PSOE (Socialist Party of Catalonia
, PSC) increased its vote total but scored second in the regional election in Catalonia
, after Convergence and Union. After a period of negotiations, the party formed a pact with Republican Left of Catalonia, Initiative for Catalonia Greens
and the United and Alternative Left
, and have governed in Catalonia since then.
On 14 March 2004, the PSOE won the 2004 Spanish general election
with almost 43% of the votes, following the 11-M terrorist (March 11) attacks, and maintained their lead in the elections to the European Parliament.
In 2005, PSOE called for a Yes vote on the European Constitution
. It has since legalised same-sex marriage
, and has called for further integration into the EU. PSOE also favoured the negotiations between the government and ETA
during the 2006 cease-fire, which de-facto ended with the Barajas Airport terrorist attack
.
On 9 March 2008 the PSOE won the 2008 Spanish general elections
again with José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero remaining Prime Minister of Spain. The Socialists increased their share of seats in the Congress of Deputies from 164 to 169 after the latest election.
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...
political party
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...
. 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
Carlism
Carlism is a traditionalist and legitimist political movement in Spain seeking the establishment of a separate line of the Bourbon family on the Spanish throne. This line descended from Infante Carlos, Count of Molina , and was founded due to dispute over the succession laws and widespread...
, founded in 1833.
The PSOE has had strong ties with the General Union of Workers
Unión General de Trabajadores
The Unión General de Trabajadores is a major Spanish trade union, historically affiliated with the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party .-History:...
(UGT), a Spanish trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
. For decades, UGT membership was a requirement for PSOE membership. During the 1980s, though, UGT criticised the economic policies of the PSOE, even calling for a general strike
General strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
on December 14, 1988.
Since the General election on 14 March 2004, the PSOE has been the governing party of Spain. The PSOE is a full member of the Party of European Socialists
Party of European Socialists
The Party of European Socialists is a European political party led by Sergei Stanishev, former Prime Minister of Bulgaria. The PES comprises social-democratic national-level political parties primarily from Member state of the European Union, as well as other nations of the European continent. The...
and the Socialist International
Socialist International
The Socialist International is a worldwide organization of democratic socialist, social democratic and labour political parties. It was formed in 1951.- History :...
. In the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
, the PSOE's 21 MEPs
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
sit in the Socialists and Democrats
Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
The Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats is the social-democratic political group in the European Parliament, formed by MEPs of the Party of European Socialists and allied centre-left parties. The group dates its ancestry via various names back to the beginning of the European...
European parliamentary group.
Ideology
The PSOE was founded with the purpose of representing the interests of the working classWorking class
Working class is a term used in the social sciences and in ordinary conversation to describe those employed in lower tier jobs , often extending to those in unemployment or otherwise possessing below-average incomes...
born from the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
with the declared objective of achieving socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
, and inspired by the revolutionary principles of Marxism
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
.
After the 1979 extraordinary congress, the PSOE renounced Marxism as its main ideology, becoming a social-democratic party. Currently, the party has moved away from left-wing politics
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
, adopting a Third Way
Third way (centrism)
The Third Way refers to various political positions which try to reconcile right-wing and left-wing politics by advocating a varying synthesis of right-wing economic and left-wing social policies. Third Way approaches are commonly viewed from within the first- and second-way perspectives as...
approach and supporting free-market policies, including reforms to curtail the Spanish welfare state
Welfare state
A welfare state is a "concept of government in which the state plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens. It is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those...
.
Early history (1879 - 1974)
The PSOE was founded on May 2, 1879 in the Casa Labra Pub (city of MadridMadrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
) by the historical Spanish workers' leader Pablo Iglesias
Pablo Iglesias
Paulino Iglesias Posse , better known as Pablo Iglesias, was a Spanish socialist and labour leader...
. The first program of the new political party was passed in an assembly of 40 people, on July 20 of that same year. Although the PSOE was rather weak during the late 19th century, its active participation in strikes from 1899 to 1902 and especially its electoral coalition with the main Republican parties led in 1910 to the election of Pablo Iglesias as the first Socialist representative in the Spanish Cortes.
The party was a member of the Labour and Socialist International
Labour and Socialist International
The Labour and Socialist International was an international organization of socialist and labour parties, active between 1923 and 1940. The LSI was a forerunner of the present-day Socialist International....
between 1923 and 1940.
PSOE formed part of the Spanish government during the Second Spanish Republic
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
and as part of the Spanish Popular Front, elected to government in February 1936. During the civil war years, PSOE was divided into three wings: a leftist revolutionary Marxist wing, led by Francisco Largo Caballero
Francisco Largo Caballero
Francisco Largo Caballero was a Spanish politician and trade unionist. He was one of the historic leaders of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party and of the Workers' General Union...
that advocated dictatorship of the proletariat
Dictatorship of the proletariat
In Marxist socio-political thought, the dictatorship of the proletariat refers to a socialist state in which the proletariat, or the working class, have control of political power. The term, coined by Joseph Weydemeyer, was adopted by the founders of Marxism, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, in the...
, nationalization
Nationalization
Nationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
of every industry, and total redistribution of land; a moderate, social-democratic faction, led by Indalecio Prieto
Indalecio Prieto
Indalecio Prieto Tuero was a Spanish politician, one of the leading figures of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party in the years before and during the Second Spanish Republic.-Early years:...
; and a reformist one, led by Julian Besteiro
Julián Besteiro
Julián Besteiro Fernández was a Spanish socialist politician and university professor.-Early life:...
.
The dictator Francisco Franco
Francisco 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...
banned the PSOE in 1939, and the party was legalised again in 1977. During Franco's rule members of the PSOE was persecuted, with many leaders, members and supporters being imprisoned or exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
d and even executed.
Modern history (1974 - present day)
Its 25th Congress was held in ToulouseToulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
in August 1972. In 1974 at its 26th Congress in Suresnes
Suresnes
Suresnes is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. The nearest communes are Neuilly-sur-Seine, Puteaux, Rueil-Malmaison, Saint-Cloud and Boulogne-Billancourt...
, Felipe González
Felipe González
Felipe González Márquez is a Spanish socialist politician. He was the General Secretary of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party from 1974 to 1997. To date, he remains the longest-serving Prime Minister of Spain, after having served four successive mandates from 1982 to 1996.-Early life:Felipe was...
was elected Secretary General, replacing Rodolfo Llopis Ferrándiz. González was from the "reform" wing of the party, and his victory signaled a defeat for the historic and veteran wing of the Party. The direction of the party shifted from the exiles to the young people in Spain who hadn't fought the war.
Llopis led a schism to form the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (historic) González showed intentions to move the party away from its Marxist
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
and socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
background, turning the PSOE into a social-democratic party, similar to those of the rest of western Europe. In 1977 PSOE became the official opposition
Opposition (parliamentary)
Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state...
party with 29.2% of the vote and 118 seats in the Parliament
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...
. Their standing was further boosted in 1978 when the 6 deputies of the Popular Socialist Party
Popular Socialist Party (Spain)
The People's Socialist Party was a Spanish political party.The origins of the party dated back to 1954 when the University professor, Enrique Tierno Galván published various academic studies of a Marxist character. In 1965, working together with Raúl Morodo, he formed the Castillian Socialist...
agreed to merge with the party.
In their 27th congress in May 1979 González resigned because the party would not abandon its Marxist character. In September the extraordinary 28th congress was called in which González was re-elected when the party agreed to move away from Marxism. European social-democratic parties supported González's stand, and the Social Democratic Party of Germany
Social Democratic Party of Germany
The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany...
granted them money. The PSOE party symbol was changed from the anvil with the book to the social-democratic rose
Rose
A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows...
in the fist, as used by the French Socialist Party
Socialist Party (France)
The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement...
. In the referendum of 1978, PSOE supported the Spanish 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...
, which was approved. In the 1979 Spanish general election
Spanish general election, 1979
General elections were held in Spain on 1 March 1979.-References:* *...
the PSOE gained 30.5% of the vote and 121 seats, remaining the main opposition party.
At the 28 October 1982 Spanish 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 PSOE was victorious, with 48.5% of the vote (10,000,000 total). Felipe González became Prime Minister of Spain
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...
on 2 December, a position he held until March 1996.
Though the party had previously opposed NATO, after reaching the government most party leaders supported keeping Spain inside the organisation. The González administration organised a referendum on the question in 1986, calling for a favourable vote, and won. The administration was criticised for avoiding the official names of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and NATO, using the unofficial Atlantic Alliance terms. A symbol of this U-turn is Javier Solana
Javier Solana
Francisco Javier Solana de Madariaga, KOGF is a Spanish physicist and Socialist politician. After serving in the Spanish government under Felipe González and Secretary General of NATO , he was appointed the European Union's High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Secretary...
who campaigned against NATO but ended up years later as its Secretary General.
PSOE Supported the United States in the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
(1991). The PSOE won the 1986, 1989 and 1993 general elections.
Economic crisis, several corruption scandals and state terrorism
State terrorism
State terrorism may refer to acts of terrorism conducted by a state against a foreign state or people. It can also refer to acts of violence by a state against its own people.-Definition:...
(GAL
Grupos Antiterroristas de Liberación
Grupos Antiterroristas de Liberación were death squads established illegally by officials of the Spanish government to fight ETA, the principal Basque separatist militant group. They were active from 1983 until 1987, under Spanish Socialist Workers Party -led governments...
) against the violent separatist group ETA
ETA
ETA , an acronym for Euskadi Ta Askatasuna is an armed Basque nationalist and separatist organization. The group was founded in 1959 and has since evolved from a group promoting traditional Basque culture to a paramilitary group with the goal of gaining independence for the Greater Basque Country...
eroded the popularity of Felipe González, and in 1996, the PSOE lost the elections to the conservative 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...
(PP). Between 1996 and 2001 the PSOE weathered a crisis, with Gonzalez resigning in 1997. The PSOE suffered a heavy defeat in 2000 (34.7%).
The PSOE remained as the ruling party in the autonomous communities
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 Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
, Extremadura
Extremadura
Extremadura is an autonomous community of western Spain whose capital city is Mérida. Its component provinces are Cáceres and Badajoz. It is bordered by Portugal to the west...
, Castilla-La Mancha and Asturias
Asturias
The Principality of Asturias is an autonomous community of the Kingdom of Spain, coextensive with the former Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages...
.
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party . He was elected for two terms as Prime Minister of Spain, in the 2004 and 2008 general elections. On 2 April 2011 he announced he will not stand for re-election in 2012...
(also known as ZP), was elected, renewing the party. Later, the PSOE won the municipal elections of 2003.
PSOE strongly opposed to the Iraq War, which was supported by the PP.
On 13 November 2003 the PSOE (Socialist Party of Catalonia
Socialists' Party of Catalonia
The Socialists' Party of Catalonia is a social-democratic political party in Catalonia, Spain resulting from the merge of two parties PSC Reagrupament led by Josep Pallach i Carolà and PSC Comgres. It is the Catalan referent of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party , and its Aranese section is...
, PSC) increased its vote total but scored second in the regional election in Catalonia
Catalonia
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...
, after Convergence and Union. After a period of negotiations, the party formed a pact with Republican Left of Catalonia, Initiative for Catalonia Greens
Initiative for Catalonia Greens
Initiative for Catalonia Greens is a political party in Catalonia, Spain. It was formed as a merger of Iniciativa per Catalunya and Els Verds. IC had been an alliance led by Partit Socialista Unificat de Catalunya and was the equivalent of Izquierda Unida in Catalonia...
and the United and Alternative Left
United and Alternative Left
United and Alternative Left is a political party from Catalonia, Spain. EUiA has 4000 members and it is the Catalan correspondent of the Spain-wide United Left ....
, and have governed in Catalonia since then.
On 14 March 2004, the PSOE won the 2004 Spanish general election
Spanish legislative election, 2004
Legislative elections were held in Spain on 14 March 2004. At stake were all 350 seats in the lower house of the Cortes Generales, the Congress of Deputies, and 208 seats in upper house, the Senate. The governing People's Party was led into the campaign by Mariano Rajoy, successor to outgoing...
with almost 43% of the votes, following the 11-M terrorist (March 11) attacks, and maintained their lead in the elections to the European Parliament.
In 2005, PSOE called for a Yes vote on the European Constitution
Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe
The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe , , was an unratified international treaty intended to create a consolidated constitution for the European Union...
. It has since legalised same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage in Spain
Same-sex marriage in Spain has been legal since July 3, 2005. In 2004, the nation's newly elected social democratic government, led by President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, began a campaign for its legalization, including the right of adoption by same-sex couples...
, and has called for further integration into the EU. PSOE also favoured the negotiations between the government and ETA
ETA
ETA , an acronym for Euskadi Ta Askatasuna is an armed Basque nationalist and separatist organization. The group was founded in 1959 and has since evolved from a group promoting traditional Basque culture to a paramilitary group with the goal of gaining independence for the Greater Basque Country...
during the 2006 cease-fire, which de-facto ended with the Barajas Airport terrorist attack
2006 Madrid Barajas International Airport bombing
The 2006 Madrid-Barajas Airport bombing occurred on December 30, 2006 when a van bomb exploded in the parking of the Terminal 4 of the Madrid-Barajas Airport in Spain, killing two and injuring 52. On January 9, 2007, the Basque nationalist and separatist organisation ETA claimed responsibility for...
.
On 9 March 2008 the PSOE won the 2008 Spanish general elections
Spanish general election, 2008
Legislative elections for the Spanish Cortes Generales were held on March 9, 2008. The elections were for 350 seats in the Congress of Deputies, and the 208 directly elected seats in the upper house, the Senate, determining the Prime Minister of Spain...
again with José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero remaining Prime Minister of Spain. The Socialists increased their share of seats in the Congress of Deputies from 164 to 169 after the latest election.
Terms
- BaronBaronBaron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
: Unofficial term for the party's regional leaders. They can be very powerful, especially if they run an autonomous community. There have been conflicts between barons and the central directorate in the past. Some barons were Pasqual Maragall (CataloniaCataloniaCatalonia 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...
), who didn't run for re-election in 2006; Juan Carlos Rodríguez IbarraJuan Carlos Rodríguez IbarraJuan Carlos Rodríguez Ibarra is a Spanish politician of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party . He was President of the Assembly of Extremadura for 24 years .-Biography:...
(ExtremaduraExtremaduraExtremadura is an autonomous community of western Spain whose capital city is Mérida. Its component provinces are Cáceres and Badajoz. It is bordered by Portugal to the west...
), who didn't run for re-election in 2007; Manuel ChavesManuel ChavesManuel Chaves may refer to:* Manuel Antonio Chaves , figure in U.S.-Navajo and U.S. Civil War history* Manuel Chaves González , Second Vice President of the Spanish Government* Manuel Chaves Nogales, Spanish journalist...
(Andalucia), who renounced Andalucia's presidency in 2009 to assume Third Vice Presidency of the Spanish Government; José MontillaJosé MontillaJosé Montilla Aguilera was the 128th President of Generalitat de Catalunya. He became the First Secretary of the Socialists' Party of Catalonia on 18 June 2000, and a member of the Federal Executive Committee and the Federal Committee of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party on 23 July 2000...
(CataloniaCataloniaCatalonia 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...
), now opposition leader. The term barón is more colloquial than official, representing the great power regional leaders have in the party, but its falling in disuse since 2008. - Compañero ("companion", "comrade"): A term of address among Socialists, analogous to the English comradeComradeComrade means "friend", "colleague", or "ally". The word comes from French camarade. The term is frequently used by left-wing organizations around the globe. "Comrade" has often become a stock phrase and form of address. This word has its regional equivalents available in many...
. - Currents: There have been several internal groups within PSOE, based on personal or ideological affinities. Some of them have ended with separation from the PSOE. The failed trial of primary electionPrimary electionA primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
s for PSOE candidates was an attempt to conciliate currents. Examples of currents are "Guerristas" (followers of Alfonso GuerraAlfonso GuerraAlfonso Guerra González is a Spanish politician. A leading member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party , he served as Vice President of the Government of Spain from 1982 to 1991, under the presidency of Felipe González...
), "Renovadores" (renewers, right wing of the Party) or Izquierda Socialista (Socialist Left).
Notable members
- Pablo Iglesias PossePablo IglesiasPaulino Iglesias Posse , better known as Pablo Iglesias, was a Spanish socialist and labour leader...
- Francisco Largo CaballeroFrancisco Largo CaballeroFrancisco Largo Caballero was a Spanish politician and trade unionist. He was one of the historic leaders of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party and of the Workers' General Union...
- Rodolfo LlopisRodolfo LlopisRodolfo Llopis Ferrándiz was a Spanish socialist politician. He was the General Secretary of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party in exile from 1944 to 1972....
- Indalecio PrietoIndalecio PrietoIndalecio Prieto Tuero was a Spanish politician, one of the leading figures of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party in the years before and during the Second Spanish Republic.-Early years:...
- Julián BesteiroJulián BesteiroJulián Besteiro Fernández was a Spanish socialist politician and university professor.-Early life:...
- Juan NegrínJuan NegrínJuan Negrín y López was a Spanish politician and physician.-Early years:Born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Negrín came from a religious middle-class family...
- José María BarredaJosé María BarredaJosé María Barreda Fontes is a Spanish politician and academic. A member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party, he was the President of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha from 2004 until 2011.-Biography:...
- Tomás Meabe
- Cayetano Redondo AceñaCayetano Redondo AceñaCayetano Redondo Aceña , Spanish politician, journalist, and mayor of Madrid during the Spanish Civil War - from November 1936 to May 1937)...
- Ramón Rubial
- Felipe GonzálezFelipe GonzálezFelipe González Márquez is a Spanish socialist politician. He was the General Secretary of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party from 1974 to 1997. To date, he remains the longest-serving Prime Minister of Spain, after having served four successive mandates from 1982 to 1996.-Early life:Felipe was...
- Alfonso GuerraAlfonso GuerraAlfonso Guerra González is a Spanish politician. A leading member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party , he served as Vice President of the Government of Spain from 1982 to 1991, under the presidency of Felipe González...
- José Luis Rodríguez ZapateroJosé Luis Rodríguez ZapateroJosé Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party . He was elected for two terms as Prime Minister of Spain, in the 2004 and 2008 general elections. On 2 April 2011 he announced he will not stand for re-election in 2012...
- Javier SolanaJavier SolanaFrancisco Javier Solana de Madariaga, KOGF is a Spanish physicist and Socialist politician. After serving in the Spanish government under Felipe González and Secretary General of NATO , he was appointed the European Union's High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Secretary...
- Joaquin AlmuniaJoaquín AlmuniaJoaquín Almunia Amann is a Spanish politician and prominent member of the European Commission, currently responsible for Competition under the second mandate of President Barroso. He was previously responsible for Economic and Monetary Affairs in Barroso's previous mandate...
- Josep BorrellJosep BorrellJosep Borrell Fontelles is a Spanish politician. He was nominated President of the European University Institute on 12 December 2008, and assumed this position in January 2010. Borrell was President of the European Parliament from 20 July 2004 until 16 January 2007...
- Manuel Chaves GonzálezManuel Chaves GonzálezManuel Chaves González is a Spanish politician of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party . Since 2009 he has served as the Third Vice President of the Spanish Government and since 2000 as the Chairman of PSOE...