How Spain's government works, in plain terms

Key rules

• Real power: The prime minister and government make policy; the king's role is ceremonial.
• Final word: Congress has the final say on laws, and the Senate cannot topple the government.
• Organic laws: Laws on fundamental rights, regional statutes and elections need an absolute majority of Congress.
• Urgent decrees: A Real Decreto-ley takes effect immediately but lapses if Congress does not validate it.

The short version

Spain is a parliamentary monarchy. The king is a ceremonial head of state. The Cortes, made up of Congress and the Senate, make the laws. The prime minister heads the government and runs day-to-day policy. In daily life, the prime minister and ministers decide things. The king does not.

The king: ceremony and formal signatures

The king represents Spain abroad and acts as a symbolic referee between institutions. He does not set policy. He signs laws, formally opens and dissolves the Cortes, calls elections, and appoints ministers on the prime minister's proposal. Every act of his must be countersigned by the prime minister or a minister, who take the responsibility. That is why he stays out of politics.

The Cortes: Congress and Senate

The Cortes have two chambers.

• Congress has 350 members. It chooses the prime minister, can remove them through a motion of censure, and has the final word on laws.
• The Senate is the chamber of territorial representation, meaning Spain's regions. It can veto or amend a bill, but Congress can overrule it. It cannot choose or topple the government.

The Senate has one special power. If a region seriously breaches its obligations, the Senate approves, by absolute majority, the measures taken against it.

The prime minister and the government

The prime minister directs government policy, domestic and foreign, and chairs the Council of Ministers. The ministers run the ministries you will deal with as a resident. Their names and split of duties change with each government, so check the current name of the ministry you need.

How a prime minister is chosen

After an election, the king consults the parties and proposes a candidate through the president of Congress. The candidate presents a programme to Congress. The candidate needs 176 votes in the first vote, or more yes than no votes in a second vote 48 hours later. If nobody is invested within two months of the first vote, the king dissolves the Cortes and calls new elections. The timeline below shows the steps.

How a law is made

1. A bill comes from the government, from Congress or the Senate, from a regional assembly, or from citizens with 500,000 signatures.
2. Congress debates it in committee, then in full session, and approves it.
3. The Senate has two months to approve, veto or amend it. For urgent bills it has 20 days.
4. Congress rules on any veto or amendments and has the final say.
5. The king signs the law within 15 days. It is published in the official gazette (BOE).
6. It takes effect on the date it states or, if none, 20 days after publication.

Ordinary laws need a simple majority. Organic laws cover fundamental rights, regional statutes and the electoral system. They need an absolute majority of Congress, which is 176 votes, in a final vote on the whole text.

Urgent decrees

In an extraordinary and urgent need, the government can issue a Real Decreto-ley. It has the force of law and takes effect when published, before parliament votes. Congress must vote to validate or repeal it within 30 days of its promulgation. If it is not validated, it loses effect. It cannot cover basic rights and freedoms, the regions' system or the electoral law.

Who handles what for residents

• Interior: the Policía Nacional, which issues the NIE and TIE, and passports.
• Inclusion, Social Security and Migration: residence and work authorisations, and Social Security.
• Foreign Affairs: consulates and visas.
• Finance: the tax agency and tax numbers.
• Justice: civil registry, nationality applications and notaries.

Regions run healthcare and schools. The FAQ below covers more on the Senate and the regions.

Timeline and deadlines

How a prime minister is chosen and a law is made

• The King dissolves the Cortes and calls new elections if no candidate is invested: Two months after the first vote

• Congress debates and approves a bill: First step in the Cortes, in committee and then in the full chamber

• The Senate approves, vetoes or amends the bill: Within two months, or 20 days if the bill is urgent

• Congress rules on any veto or amendments: After the Senate decision; Congress has the final say

• The King signs the law: Within 15 days of its approval

• The law takes effect: On the date it states, or 20 days after publication in the official gazette (BOE) if none is stated

• Congress votes on an urgent government decree (Real Decreto-ley): Within 30 days of its promulgation; the decree applies from publication but loses effect if not validated

Quick answers on how Spain is governed

Who is in charge in Spain, the King or the prime minister?

The prime minister runs the government, while the King is head of state with a mostly symbolic and arbitrating role.

What does the Senate actually do compared with Congress?

The Senate is the chamber of territorial representation, and it has less power than Congress. It can veto a bill or amend it, but Congress can lift a veto or decide on amendments, so Congress has the final word. The Senate cannot choose or topple a government, and it has its own role when the State acts against a region that breaches its obligations.

What is the Delegación del Gobierno and why might I deal with it?

The Delegación del Gobierno is the central government's office in each autonomous community, and in provinces the Subdelegación does the same job. It coordinates State services with the regional administration, including police forces and civil protection. As a foreigner you will meet it because the Oficinas de Extranjería, which handle residence and work authorisations, sit under these offices, though in some regions parts of the process are handled by regional bodies.

Are Spain's autonomous communities like states in a federation?

No, the autonomous communities have their own parliament, government and lawmaking powers, but they do not hold sovereignty as federal states do. Each works under a Statute of Autonomy, with no constitution of its own and no separate court system. They have no right to secede, and the Constitutional Court settles conflicts with the State.