Spanien Regierung Profil 2012

Hauptstadt

Name: Madrid
geographische Koordinaten: 40 24 N, 3 41 W
Zeitunterschied: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
note: Spain is divided into two time zones including the Canary Islands

Unabhängigkeit

1492; the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independent kingdoms prior to the Muslim occupation that began in the early 8th century A.D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small Christian redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost immediately, culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this event completed the unification of several kingdoms and is traditionally considered the forging of present-day Spain

Nationalfeiertag

National Day, 12 Oktober (1492); year when Columbus first set foot in the Americas

Konstitution

approved by legislature 31 Oktober 1978; passed by referendum 6 Dezember 1978; signed by the king 27 Dezember 1978

Wahlrecht

18 Jahre; universal

Exekutive

Staatsoberhaupt: King JUAN CARLOS I (seit dem 22 November 1975); Heir Apparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January 1968
Regierungschef: Staatspräsident of the Government (Prime Minister equivalent) Mariano RAJOY (seit dem 20 December 2011); Vice Staatspräsident (and Minister of the Staatspräsident's Office) Soraya Saenz de SANTAMARIA (seit dem 22 December 2011)
cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president
note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme consultative organ of the government, but its recommendations are non-binding
elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually proposed president by the monarch and elected by the National Assembly; election last held on 20 November 2011 (next to be held in November 2015); vice president appointed by the monarch on the proposal of the president
election results: Mariano RAJOY elected Staatspräsident of the Government; percent of vote - NA