| Political Reform Act | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Cortes Españolas | |
| |
| Enacted by | 10th Cortes Españolas |
| Enacted | 18 November 1976 |
| Royal assent | 4 January 1977 |
| Effective | 5 January 1977 |
| Repealed | 29 December 1978 |
| Repealed by | |
| Spanish Constitution of 1978 | |
| Status: Repealed | |
The Political Reform Act (Law 1/1977, of 4 January[1]) was the Spanish law that re-established democracy[2] and allowed the elimination of the governmental structures of the Franco dictatorship through a legal process. It is one of the key events in the Spanish Transition.
The Act was passed on 18 November 1976, by the Francoist Parliament and then overwhelmingly approved by referendum one month later. It was the last of the Fundamental Laws of the Francoist State.[3]
Six months later, Spain celebrated its first democratic elections since 1936.[4] After a further six months, a new Spanish Constitution was given royal assent.[5] Two days later, the Political Reform Act was repealed when the Constitution came into force.
- ^ Law 1/1977, of January 4, of the Political Reform Boletín Oficial del Estado. 5 January 1977 (in Spanish).
- ^ Carr, Raymond (1980). Modern Spain, 1875-1980. Oxford University Press. p. xiii. ISBN 9780192158284. OCLC 6555498.
- ^ Mesas, Alberto (19 November 2016). "La ley que obligó al franquismo a suicidarse". cadena SER (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ Meisler, Stanley (28 January 2009). "Spain's New Democracy". ISSN 0015-7120. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
- ^ Times, James M. Markham Special to The New York (28 December 1978). "KING OF SPAIN SIGNS A NEW CONSTITUTION". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 23 August 2022.