lateFranco

LateFranco is not a standard historical term; it is commonly used informally to refer to Francisco Franco, the Spanish dictator who ruled from 1939 to 1975. Franco united Nationalist factions after the Spanish Civil War, establishing Francoist Spain, a centralized, authoritarian regime that suppressed political pluralism, censored the press, and promoted a corporatist state aligned with the Catholic Church.

Born in Ferrol, Galicia, in 1892, Franco began as a military officer and served in Morocco, where he gained a reputation for decisiveness. In 1936 he led the Nationalists in a coup against the Republican government, triggering a three-year Civil War. Following the Nationalist victory, he held the titles of head of state and commander-in-chief, ruling as the Caudillo until his death.

Under Franco, political parties were banned, labor unions were controlled, and dissent was harshly repressed. The regime pursued autarkic economic policies in the 1940s and 1950s, then liberalized economically in the 1950s-60s, spurring growth known as the "Spanish miracle." Franco maintained neutrality in World War II and cultivated ties with Western powers during the Cold War.

Franco died in 1975. His death opened the Transition to democracy, led by King Juan Carlos I and Prime Minister Adolfo Suárez, culminating in the 1978 constitution that established a parliamentary monarchy. Debates over Franco's legacy continue in Spain, including issues of memory, regional autonomy, and the handling of Francoist institutions and symbols.