Spain
Who is the head of the autonomous community?
The president
In what year was the Spanish Constitution approved by a referendum?
1978
How often are there elections in Spain?
Every 4 years.
Name the 3 branches of power.
Legislative, executive, judicial.
How many countries are in the European Union (EU)?
27
What are the official and co-official languages of Spain?
Castellano/Spanish (official)
Co-official: Galician, Basque, Catalan, Valencian, Aranese
What are the head of state and head of government called?
Head of state: the monarch
Head of government: the president of the government or prime minister.
How do political parties prepare for elections?
Legislative
When was the EU formed?
1993
How many autonomous communities and cities are there in Spain?
17 autonomous communities and 2 autonomous cities
What does the word democracy mean in Ancient Greek?
The government of the people
What is the type of government called when more than half of the deputies belong to one political party?
Government with absolute power.
Which branch of power are the National government part of, and what are they responsible for?
Executive, they are responsible for the plans and actions in the country and with other countries and the civil and military administration and defense.
What branch of power does the Court of Justice of the EU represent?
Judicial power
What does the statute of autonomy define for each autonomous community in Spain?
Territory, capital city, institutions, official and co-official languages, the official symbols (such as the flag or anthem)
Name 3 things the Spanish Constitution includes.
- Specifies that Spain is social and democratic, where we are all equal before the law
- Individual rights
- Establishes the responsibilities of Spanish citizens
- Defines how the national and regional government function
- Establishes the separation of powers (executive, legislative, and judicial)
Define coalition government and minority government.
Coalition government: when two or more parties form a government.
Minority government: when fewer than half of the deputies belong to the political party in the government. They need informal support from other parties to pass laws.
What is judicial power?
The power to judge those who don´t follow the laws. Judges and magistrates decide when a law has been broken and the punishment.
Name the 4 European institutions that have legislative anmd executive powers.
Legislative: European Parliament, Council of the EU
Executive: European Council, European Commission
Name the legislative, executive, and judicial institutions of the autonomous communities of Spain and their main function.
Regional parliament: Legislative. It makes and changes laws.
Government: Executive. It applies the laws and organizes how the state works.
Supreme Court of Justice: Judicial. It interprets the laws and decides if people or institutions brek them.
Explain the difference between direct and representative democracy and provide an example of each.
Direct democracy is when citizens directly participate in the decision making process. An example is Switzerland.
Representative democracy is when voters elect representatives who participate in the decision making process on their behalf. Spain is an example.
Name the 5 steps that governments follow to organize the elections.
1. National or regional government decides the date of the elections.
2. Political parties prepare for the elections.
3. Parties campaign with rallies, debates, interviews, and leaflets.
4. Voters submit their votes using ballots.
5. The votes are counted and a new parliament is declared.
Name the 2 groups in the Spanish Parliament and their roles.
Congress: introduce, debate, and pass laws
Senate: approves, amends, or rejects laws passed by Congress
Name 3 aims of the EU.
- Allow free movement of people, goods, and services
- Promote solidarity between countries and regions
- Respect human rights
- Protect the environment
- Support sustainable development
- Fight against racism and sexism