Calle Ferraz, 68 y 79
28008 Madrid

Phone Number 582 04 44

Secretary General: Felipe Gonzalez

Founded on May 2nd, 1879, the PSOE is the oldest party in Spain. In 1888, after its first Congress, its principal leaders founded the General Union of Workers (UGT). Affiliated to the 2nd International, at the turn of the century, it had a large membership and following among the working classes, as a result of which Pablo Iglesias, the founder and leader of the party, was elected as a deputy to Cortes in 1910. During this period, until the outbreak of the Civil War, its membership and presence in national life continued to increase, although there were crises and splits, such as that which gave rise to the founding of the Spanish communist party in 1921. In July 1936, when the military rising took place which gave rise to the Spanish Civil War, the PSOE was the largest party in the Popular Front whichwas governing the country. It headed the various Governments that were formed until the end of the war, in March 1939.

Under the regime of General Franco, it went through a number of different stages. The first of these was an undercover struggle which led to a number of its leaders being captured. In 1952, it decided to mmove the executive abroad. This resulted in a long period of lethargy within the country, until the early seventies, when, after a serious internal crisis, the executive re-established itself in Spain.

In the first democratic general election, held in June 1977, it had 103 deputies and 35 senators elected, and thus took shape as the first party of the opposition. After this election, Enrique Tierno Galvan's Popular Socialist Party, and the various regional socialist parties, all joined the PSOE.

In the general election of 1982 it obtanied and absolute majority, with 202 deputies and 134 senators and on December 1st. its secretary general, Felipe Gonzalez, was elected prime minister.

In the 1986 general election, it lost a few seats but kept the absolute majority, which enabled it to continue governing the nation. In the general election of 1989 it obtained 175 seats in Congress and 108 in the Senate, and in the 1993 election, although it lost its absolute majority, it obtanied 159 seats in Congress and 177 in the Senate.

For more information, please write to:

SPANISH SOCIALIST PARTY (PSOE)
Ferraz, 68 y 70
28008 MADRID (Spain)