Half a century after Francisco Franco’s death, rising support for Spain’s far right is reviving his legacy among young voters, prompting official commemorations that warn of fascism’s lingering dangers.
The current socialist-led government, continuing the work of its predecessors, has used the anniversary to highlight Spain’s transformation into a modern, progressive European democracy.
Through democratic memory legislation, successive administrations have sought to help the country confront its Francoist past.
Yet the year-long series of events also serves as a cautionary reminder of the potency of far-right ideologies, which are increasingly appealing to a generation with little memory – and limited knowledge – of the dictatorship.
A survey conducted last month by state pollster CIS found that more than one in five Spaniards (21.3%) view the Franco era as “good” or “very good” for the country – a sharp rise from 11.2% who said the same in 2000.
Franco seized power after overthrowing Spain’s democratic republic in a brutal civil war from 1936 to 1939, which claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. He then ruled the country with an iron fist until his death in 1975.
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