El PSOE de Felipe González

The attempted coup of February 23, 1981 highlighted the fragility of the democratic system. 25 was invested Calvo Sotelo dissolved the Parliament and called elections, in which the victory of the PSOE by absolute majority occurs. His domain was repeated in 1986, 1989 and 1993.

The PSOE was able to pick up the aspirations of change of a majority of the population and configured as a modern party with a clear leader, Felipe González. Its reform program resulted in the fight against the economic crisis, industrial restructuring, rationalization of public administrations and moving towards the welfare state and promote a system of social protection (pensions, social security, public health) . Finally, state reform entailed the army of security, justice and administration center and autonomies.

The economy was the priority scope of the PSOE, with a policy of adjustment and restructuring aimed at encouraging private investment and restructure the productive apparatus, reduce inflation and encourage corporate profits.

The government pushed legislation on rights and freedoms (conscientious objection, legal assistance or habeas corpus law decriminalizing abortion in certain cases ...). In 1983 the last statutes (Extremadura, the Balearic Islands, Madrid and Castilla y Leon), and the University Reform Act and the LOGSE or General Health Law was approved.

Regarding foreign policy, the Socialists promoted a policy that advocated the integration into the European Economic Community (January 1 1986) and NATO and relations with Latin America and the Mediterranean. One of the most important aspects for their law was the referendum on Spain's integration into NATO.

In the late 80s, the decline of the PSOE due to counter-terrorism policy of the Interior Ministry who had been tolerant of the activities of the GAL economic corruption scandals (Juan Guerra, Mariano Rubio and Luis Roldan) is initiated, slowing economic growth and division within the PSOE.

In the 1993 elections, the PSOE lost its absolute majority and was forced to rule pact with CIU and PNV, and in 1996 and lost the elections against the PP of Jose Maria Aznar.




My mother remembers that time very positive, although in recent years it became a disappointment. During the first years of his term, employment increased, wages also were held various social policies aimed at welfare, facts that had not happened before. For the first time in Spain, there was a breakthrough in contraception. The legalization of abortion allowed many women do not risk their lives, as when women were forbidden to abortion went to London or in clandestine clinics, which endangered the lives of women and risk of going to prison. The incorporation of women to work was a breakthrough of the PSOE and society as they began to change their habits and their thinking. These demanding equality both in education and job training, and the PSOE won an important step that had never happened before. However, it still has not achieved full evenness in today's society.
Corruption in the party and the defense of the terrorist activities of the GAL was a great rejection and distrust of the PSOE, which is why the Spanish people opted for the PP in the next election.


Abstract en castellano
El PSOE fue capaz de recoger las aspiraciones de cambio de la mayoría de la población y se configura como un partido moderno, con un líder claro, Felipe González. Su programa de reforma resultó en la lucha contra la crisis económica, la reestructuración industrial, la racionalización de las administraciones públicas y avanzar hacia el Estado de bienestar y promover un sistema de protección social (pensiones, la seguridad social, la salud pública). Por último, la reforma del Estado supuso el ejército de la seguridad, la justicia y el centro de administración y las autonomías.