🔗 Share this article Spain Commemorates Half-Century Mark of Franco's Passing Spain has commemorated the half-century mark of Franco's passing with an lack of state ceremonies but with a message from the government leader to learn from the history of the repressive era and defend democratic freedom that was taken away for generations. Background History Franco, whose rebellion against the elected republican government in 1936 sparked a civil conflict and ushered in generations of dictatorship, died in Madrid on November 20, 1975. Despite the government has planned a twelve-month program of events to mark the democratic transition, it declined government events on the actual anniversary of the ruler's demise to prevent claims that it was attempting to glorify his death. Current Issues The anniversary comes amid increasing concerns about the lack of knowledge about the dictatorship, especially among younger Spaniards. Survey data has indicated that more than 21% of participants felt the Franco era was positive or excellent, while further polling found nearly 25% of Spaniards aged 18 to 28 felt that an non-democratic system could sometimes be preferable to a democratic government. Government Perspective No democracy – including ours – is perfect, the official noted. Significant progress is needed to create the preferred country and that we can be: a country with enhanced prospects; increased freedoms and reduced disparity. The national leader, who consciously omitted naming Franco by name, also noted that democracy didn't fall from the sky, stating that current liberties had been obtained via resilience and fortitude of citizens. Remembrance Programs The administration has employed historical memory legislation enacted recently to try to help Spain come to terms with its past. Redesignating the Valley of Cuelgamuros – formerly called the Valley of the Deceased Creating a catalog of assets taken by the government Seeking to eliminate the remaining emblems of the era Organization Shutdown Attempts The administration is currently in the concluding steps of its efforts to close the Francisco Franco National Foundation, which exists to preserve and support the regime's heritage. The culture minister declared that his ministry was attempting to ensure that the historical records – now owned by the institution – was given to national authorities so it could be accessed by all Spaniards. Political Resistance The right-wing political group is boycotting the government's initiative to celebrate 50 years of democracy, as is the conservative faction, which rejected the initiative an unnecessary obsession that creates division among citizens. Historical Legacy More than 500,000 people perished in the civil war, while countless additional people were forced into exile. Reprisals continued long after the conflict ended in 1939, and the corpses of countless individuals who died in the conflict and in its aftermath are thought to remain in unidentified collective tombs. Political Evolution After the dictator's death, Spain began the transformation back to democracy, conducting democratic voting in 1977 and adopting a modern framework in a referendum the following year.