Lorraine Williamson
Nearly half a century after the death of Francisco Franco, Spain is preparing to take one of its most decisive steps yet to confront the remnants of dictatorship still etched into public spaces. The government has confirmed that before the end of November, it will publish a comprehensive list of Franco-era symbols to be permanently removed from towns and cities across the country.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced the move during a tense parliamentary session, describing it as an overdue act of democratic accountability. Once published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE), the list will compel regional and local administrations to erase or replace any symbols that glorify the Franco regime — from street names and plaques to monuments and memorials.
Spain’s effort to erase Francoist symbols stems from the 2022 Ley de Memoria Democrática, or Democratic Memory Law. The law was designed to acknowledge victims of the dictatorship, preserve historical truth, and ensure that no public space legitimises the authoritarian regime that ruled Spain from 1939 to 1975.
While the removal of overtly fascist monuments has been ongoing for years, thousands still remain — a testament to the slow pace of Spain’s reckoning with its past. Many are small plaques on housing blocks built under Franco, bearing the emblem of the Falange: a yoke and bundle of arrows. Others are street names, statues, or religious artefacts that continue to spark division.
A leaked draft report last year suggested that more than 6,000 Francoist symbols could be identified nationwide. This includes memorials honouring regime officials and inscriptions referring to the “victory” of the Nationalist forces in the Civil War.
From law to action
Under the new decree, Spain’s Ministry of the Presidency will oversee the process through a dedicated commission tasked with assessing every listed item. In exceptional cases, symbols of clear artistic, historical, or architectural significance may be preserved — though only when stripped of ideological meaning.
For local governments, this will mark a major administrative undertaking. Town halls across Spain will be required to audit buildings, squares, and public records to ensure compliance. If authorities fail to act, the national government can intervene.
Whether municipalities will face fines for inaction remains uncertain, but officials insist that enforcement mechanisms will follow.
Political tensions resurface
The announcement quickly reignited fierce political debate in parliament. The measure came in response to a question from EH Bildu MP Mertxe Aizpurúa, who pressed the government on what it was doing to dismantle fascist and Francoist organisations that remain active in Spain.
Sánchez highlighted previous actions under his administration, including reforms allowing the dissolution of entities that glorify the dictatorship — a direct reference to the controversial Fundación Francisco Franco. He also announced plans for national commemorations in 2025, marking fifty years since Franco’s death and Spain’s transition to democracy.
But not everyone welcomed the move. The conservative Partido Popular (PP) accused Sánchez of “rewriting history” and condemned his cooperation with Bildu. PP spokesperson Ester Muñoz launched a sharp attack, accusing Aizpurúa — a former journalist — of sympathising with ETA’s violent past. Deputy Prime Minister María Jesús Montero defended Bildu’s legitimacy, reminding critics that all elected representatives “speak for their voters” and calling for an end to political exploitation of past tragedies.
A long road to reconciliation
For historians, the publication of this official list represents more than just symbolic politics. It’s a step towards closing the most uncomfortable chapter of Spain’s 20th century — one that continues to shape its collective identity.
Since the approval of the Democratic Memory Law, Spain has taken other steps to confront its authoritarian past. Franco’s remains were exhumed from the Valle de los Caídos in 2019, and the site — renamed Valle de Cuelgamuros — has since been redefined as a place of remembrance for all victims of the Civil War.
Yet, as with every attempt to deal with Franco’s legacy, the question of how to balance memory with reconciliation remains delicate. Many Spaniards see the continued presence of Francoist symbols as incompatible with democracy; others regard their removal as an erasure of history itself.
Toward a clearer historical record
When the blacklist of Franco-era symbols in Spain is finally published in the coming weeks, it will represent not only a legal directive but a cultural statement — one asserting that Spain’s democracy can no longer coexist with the symbols of its dictatorship.
For decades, these emblems have lingered quietly on street corners and facades, reminders of a period the country has long struggled to confront. Their removal marks a turning point: a nation finally ready to face its past, not by rewriting it, but by recognising it — and moving forward.
Source: RTVE