Abstract
Spanish 20th century history has proved a closed linkage between democratization of its political regime and the decentralization process. Autonomic efforts of the Spanish regions were highly persecuted during Franco dictatorship.
The democratic transition of the second half of the seventies concluded this situation. A new Constitution, ratified by Spanish people in 1978 by referendum, totally remodeled the Spanish state to seventeen autonomous regions (comunidades autónomas), plus two autonomous cities (ciudades autónomas).
The centralistic and unitary character of the previous Franco regime definitely ended. However, the process of regional autonomy and independence did not come to final end after the approval of the Spanish Constitution.
In fact, it is a very dynamic and complicated process. The most problematic regions nowadays are Basque Country and Catalonia.
The struggle for broader regional competences and almost complete independence on Madrid belong to long-term objectives of these regions.