Spain is commemorating its transition from dictatorship to democracy after the death of General Francisco Franco in November 1975 under the motto “Spain in freedom: 50 years”. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Wednesday launched a series of events that will take place over the next few months. A glance at the opinion sections shows that even after all this time the topic is still controversial.
Open/close all quotes
Looking back should unite, not separate
El País hopes for unity:
“The fact that 50 years after the dictator’s death a joint commemoration is impossible points to a profound short-sightedness regarding the threat of a relapse into authoritarianism that today’s societies face. … Especially today, when there are those who dare to justify [Franco’s] despotic regime, it is more vital than ever to remember the high price Spanish society paid for the blatant inequalities that made it a profoundly unjust system: this is what democracy had to begin to gradually reverse half a century ago. And it was so successful in doing this that today we can look back without anger and face the future. … We all deserve credit for this achievement – and the fact that we cannot celebrate it together is a failure.”
A weak semblance of what the country had dreamed of
El Periódico is disappointed with the progress made over the last five decades:
“Half a century has passed since Franco died in his bed, and this country has experienced profound changes. At the same time, many people believe that today’s democracy is but a weak semblance of the democracy the country had hoped for when the general passed away. … Some also believe that the official commemoration is being organised not to preserve historical memory but as a political strategy for the present. … In any case, it is an exaggeration to say that Spain gained its freedom in 1975. … Democracy did not manifest itself like a redemptive epiphany 50 years ago.”
Too little focus on educational measures
eldiario.es calls for more resources to be dedicated to educating the country about this chapter in its history:
“It is highly commendable that 50 years after the death of the leader of a deeply corrupt regime, the government is promoting a series of events to educate the new generations about his tyranny. … But even though many aspects of the events are not yet known, they have already provoked an outcry from a certain section of Spain’s die-hard right. … What is unique about the Spanish case is the sluggishness when it comes to educating the new generations about the past: the lack of resources for teaching pupils about the topic in schools, the ambiguous attitude towards the distortions of the past on social media, mostly by the right.”