4.3. How is Spain organised?

How is Spain organised?

1. LEGISLATIVE POWER
Legislative power is held by Parliament. Parliament is the institution that represents the people. In Spain, the name of the Parliament is the Cortes Generales. It makes laws, approves the state budget, and controls the decisions the Government makes.
It is made up of two parts:

• The Congress of Deputies: Its members are called deputies. It has 350 members.
• The Senate: its members are called senators. It has 266 members.

Both deputies and senators can make and develop laws, but the deputies can vote against a law developed by the senators.
The main function of the senators is to represent the Autonomous Communities.
Spanish citizens vote for members of Parliament in general elections every four years.

2. EXECUTIVE POWER
After the general elections, the party with the most votes forms the Government.
The Government of Spain is made up of:
The Prime Minister: he is elected by the Congress of Deputies.
The ministers: They are appointed by the Prime Minister. They work in different areas, such as education, healthcare, defence or economy.

3. JUDICIAL POWER

It belongs to courts and tribunals, composed of judges and magistrates. They ensure that the laws are obeyed.
The judiciary is made of:
1. Courts of first instance: A judge presides over each court. Courts are found in most important towns and cities.

2. Higher courts:

• the Supreme Court that is the most important court. People appeal to this court if they are not satisfied with the decision of a lower court.
• the Constitutional Court that decides if laws introduced by Parliament are in accordance with the Constitution.