Galician Statute of Autonomy of 1981

The Galician Statute of Autonomy (Galician: Estatuto de Autonomía de Galicia) of 1981 is the current basic institutional norm of Galicia. The Galician Government, Parliament and High Court of Galicia are regulated by it.

Genesis of the 1981 Statute

The Statute passed in 1981 has its precedent in the Statute that had been drafted and voted in 1936. This earlier Statute could not be implemented due to the Francoist revolt and the Spanish Civil War, which started in 1936. Hence, with the end of the Francoist dictatorship in 1977, a process of devolution began in the Spanish State. This political and administrative process took form in the passing of the Statutes of Autonomy, regulated by the Spanish Constitution of 1978.

On 16 March 1979, Galicia attained the rank of "pre-autonomous community", and in June 1979 Galician members to the Spanish Parliament submitted a draft for a Statute of Autonomy. Once the Constitutional Committee and the Spanish Parliamentary Assembly altered this first draft, it was finally ratified by the Galician people in a referendum held in December 1980. It came into effect on 6 April 1981 after being signed by King Juan Carlos I of Spain and by Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo, President of the Spanish government, in the Spanish Royal Palace. Galicia then became an autonomous community.

Galician Statute of Autonomy (1936)

The Galician Statute of Autonomy (1936) was a statute of autonomy for Galicia. It was voted in referendum and presented to the Spanish Parliament. Yet, it could never be implemented because of the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) and subsequent Francoist dictatorship (1939–1977). The 1936 statute was drafted by the Partido Galeguista (Galicianist Party), and it is the historical precedent of the current Galician Statute of Autonomy of 1981.

Origins

Galician nationalists of the early 20th century, namely those around the Partido Galeguista, had considered a number of options regarding the relationship between Galicia and Spain, ranging from regional autonomy to total independence. During the Spanish Second Republic (1931–1939) a number of intellectuals proposed the formation of a federal State, where the different regions and nations of Spain could benefit from autonomy and decentralization. With that idea in mind, the Partido Galeguista, founded in 1931, promoted the development of a Galician Statute of Autonomy, based on the old Galicianist ideals and the modern Galician nationalism.