Rising far-right support in Spain revives Franco's legacy 50 years after his death
Demonstrators perform the fascist salute during a demonstration called by Falange Espanola de las JONS fascist party in Madrid, on November 21, 2025, marking the 50th anniversary of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco's death. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez yesterday called on Spaniards to defend the "miracle" of their democracy as the divided country marked the 50th anniversary of ex-dictator Francisco Franco's death. The general's demise on November 20, 1975 ended 36 years of authoritarian right-wing rule that followed a devastating 1936-1939 civil war which brought him to power.
Image: Oscar del Pozo / AFP
Half a century after Francisco Franco’s death, rising support for Spain’s far right is reviving his legacy among young voters, prompting official commemorations that warn of fascism’s lingering dangers.
Graphic shows percentage of Spaniards that perceive the Franco era as good or bad, and Francoism by numbers.
Image: Graphic News
The current socialist-led government, continuing the work of its predecessors, has used the anniversary to highlight Spain’s transformation into a modern, progressive European democracy.
Through democratic memory legislation, successive administrations have sought to help the country confront its Francoist past.
Yet the year-long series of events also serves as a cautionary reminder of the potency of far-right ideologies, which are increasingly appealing to a generation with little memory – and limited knowledge – of the dictatorship.
A survey conducted last month by state pollster CIS found that more than one in five Spaniards (21.3%) view the Franco era as “good” or “very good” for the country – a sharp rise from 11.2% who said the same in 2000.
Franco seized power after overthrowing Spain’s democratic republic in a brutal civil war from 1936 to 1939, which claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. He then ruled the country with an iron fist until his death in 1975.
Graphic News