Who was Adolfo Suárez?
Suárez was born in 1932 and made his career inside the Franco regime, serving as a regional governor and, from 1969, as director general of state radio and television. King Juan Carlos chose him as prime minister in 1976. In November 1976 he persuaded the Francoist Cortes to dissolve itself, which paved the way for the 1977 elections. In April 1977 he legalized the Communist Party. He led the Union of the Democratic Center to victory that year. Voters approved a new constitution in a December 1978 referendum. He announced his resignation in January 1981 and left office in February, and he died in March 2014 after about ten years with Alzheimer's.
Political views
- In November 1976 he persuaded the Francoist Cortes to dissolve itself, which paved the way for the 1977 elections.Source: freiheit.org
- In April 1977 he legalized the Communist Party, which the right-wing leader Manuel Fraga called a coup d'état.Source: freiheit.org
- His government declared an amnesty for political prisoners and legalized the Communist Party.Source: en.escambray.cu
- Voters approved the new constitution in December 1978 with 88 percent support.Source: freiheit.org
- He oversaw the gradual decentralization of Spain, which let all regions set up self-governing institutions.Source: freiheit.org
- His government backed a divorce law, approved months after his resignation, and repealed a 1933 law that criminalized homosexuality and drug use.Source: freiheit.org
- Political figures across the spectrum credited him for his role during the attempted coup of 23 February 1981.Source: en.escambray.cu
Legacy
Admirers see Suárez as the man who steered Spain from dictatorship to democracy. He legalized parties, including the Communist Party, and left a constitution that has endured, and he was credited across the spectrum for his role during the 1981 coup attempt. Madrid's airport was renamed for him after his death. Critics point to his career inside the Franco regime and argue that the transition he led did not fully break with Francoism. His party was later eroded by rivals, and the Democratic and Social Center he founded in 1982 never won more than 20 seats in Congress.