Spain Politics

Spain is a constitutional monarchy in which an elected government manages day-to-day national policy while the monarch serves as head of state. Pedro Sánchez serves as Prime Minister of Spain and leads the government within the country's parliamentary and constitutional framework.

Pedro Sánchez
Prime Minister of Spain
Head of Government
In office since 2 June 2018

Photo: Pool Moncloa/ Carlos Spottorno de las Morenas, Attribution, via Wikimedia Commons

Spain is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy. A hereditary monarch serves as head of state, while political executive power is exercised by a prime minister and cabinet drawn from or supported by the elected legislature. The monarch's duties are largely constitutional and ceremonial, although the formal powers of the crown vary according to national law and convention.

Legislative authority is exercised through a bicameral national parliament. The two chambers share responsibility for passing laws and approving public finances, with their precise powers and methods of selection defined by the constitution. Parliamentary committees and plenary sessions provide formal mechanisms for scrutiny, while the courts are institutionally separate and may review government action as permitted by law.

Spain is constitutionally a unitary state, but substantial powers are devolved to territorial governments or autonomous institutions. The national government retains ultimate sovereign authority while regional bodies exercise important responsibilities under constitutional or statutory arrangements. Political authority is exercised through the constitutional institutions described above, with elections, parliamentary confidence, or other constitutional procedures determining who holds office.