Council of the Realm

Consejo del Reino
Coat of Arms
Formation	1947 (1947)
Dissolved	1978 (1978)
Legal status	Constitutional Body
Headquarters	Madrid
Caudillo	Francisco Franco
King	Juan Carlos I

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TheCouncil of the Realm (Spanish:Consejo del Reino) was a corporate organ ofFrancoist Spain, created by theLaw of Succession to the Headship of the State of 1947. Within the institutional complex created to hierarchize the regime ofFrancisco Franco (the so-called "organic democracy"), was the high council that advised theHead of State in the decision making of its exclusive competence. An antecedent of the Council of the Realm is the institution of the same name that appears in the Draft Constitution of 1929 of thedictatorship ofMiguel Primo de Rivera.

Permanent councilors:

• the active officers of greater seniority from theArmy,Navy andAir Force, by the same order.
• the Chief of theDefence High Command (theGeneral Staff).
• theRoman Catholicprelate of greaterhierarchy and seniority among those who wereprocurators in theCortes Españolas.
• the President of theCouncil of State.
• thePresident of the Supreme Court.
• the President of theInstitute of Spain.

Elective councilors, elected by vote by groups of procurators in the Cortes Españolas:

• two councilors for the Local Administration Group.
• two councilors for the National Councilors Group.
• two councilors for the Family Representation Group.
• two councilors for the Trade Union Organization Group.
• one councilor for the University Rectors Group.
• one councilor for the Professional Association Group.

The President of the Council of the Realm was thePresident of the Cortes, and was appointed by the Head of State from a list of three names presented by the Council of the Realm.

The function of the Council of the Realm was to provide the Head of State with a list of three names to elect aPresident of the Government from among them. Likewise, the Head of State needed the Council of the Realm to dissolve or extend the legislatures of the Cortes Españolas, dismiss the President of the Government, as well as many other functions.

• 1947–1965:Esteban de Bilbao Eguía
• 1965–1969:Antonio Iturmendi Bañales
• 1969–1975:Alejandro Rodríguez de Valcárcel
  • Vice President:Joaquín Bau Nolla.^[1][2] As President of the Council of State (since 1965^[3]) Bau wascouncilor of the Realm.
• 1975–1977:Torcuato Fernández-Miranda
• 1977–1978:Antonio Hernández Gil [es] (president of thedemocratic Cortes).

During the life of Francisco Franco, the Council of the Realm was a pure formalism, because the only will was that of the Head of State.

With the accession of theKingJuan Carlos I to the throne, the Council of the Realm facilitated the appointment ofAdolfo Suárez as President of the Government, although also some councilors showed very reactionary positions to thePolitical Reform Law of 1977.

Thedemocratic Cortes specified that this body would be dissolved after the promulgation of theSpanish Constitution of 1978.

• 1947 establishments in Spain
• 1978 disestablishments in Spain
• Government of Francoist Spain

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