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From a monarchy to a republic
After Primo de Rivera´s resignation in 1929, King Alfonso XIII tried to restore normal constitutional order, but the monarchy had been seriously damaged by its association with the dictatorship and it no longer had political or social support. -
The pact of San Sebastian
Republicans and socialists meet in San Sebastian and agree to overthtrow the monarcgy and establish a democratic republican regime. They create a Revolutionary Committee to co-ordinate the opposition. -
The 1931 Constitution
In June 1931, the Constituent Assembly elections were held to choose the drafters of the new Reoublican Constitution. The victors were the parties forming the Provisional Government: PSOE and PRR. The drafters described it as a progressive, democratic and left-wing constitution. -
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Reformist biennium
Niceto Alcalá Zamora was named president of the Republic and Manuel Azaña was named president of the government. -
Municipal elections
The new constitutional government chosen by the king call the first free elections since Primo de Rivera´s coup in 1921.The elections are municipal, but everyone understands them to bea referendum on the monarchy. -
The proclamation of the Second Spanish Reoiblic
The republic is proclaimed. On that same day the RevolutionaryCommittee becomes the Provisional Republican Government of the Second Spanish Republic. The Republic has broad support from all segments of society -
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The black biennium
Elections were held in November 1933.
This was the first time women could vote. The left-wing parties were more dividied than ever.
PRR and CEDA won the elections. Alejandro Lerroux (PRR) was in charge of forming the government.
Some leaders of PSOE, like Francisco Largo Caballero, feared that CEDA was beginning to resemble fascism so they called a general strike which grew into a revolution. The Revolution of October 1934 -
The Popular Front
New elections were called for February 1936.
The left-wing parties joined together to from the Popular Front coalition. The Popular Front defended the right to amnestyfor the political prisioners held since the Revolution of 1934 and pushed the social reforms begun in 1931 -
The start of the civil war
The atmosphere was very tense in parliament, but the street violence between politicaly adverse groups was more worrying, with assasinationsand church arson. On 12 July, Lieutenant Castillo, a member of the government´s assault guards and socialist sympathiser, was murdered by right-wing gunmen. In revenge, some of Castillo´s colleagues kidnapped and killed the right-wing deputy Calvo Sotelo the following day.