Statute of Autonomy

Statute of Autonomy II

In 1977 took place in Spain the first democratic elections and the UCD central government, leaded by Adolfo Suárez, encouraged the autonomic process. In Castilla y León, and especially in Valladolid, that, meant the creation, in October of that same year, of the Member's of Parliament Regional Assembly. A few months after, the 13th of June 1978, it was created the General Council of Castilla y León. This body was in charge of managing the autonomic process. Its first President was Manuel Reol Tejada, UCD member of the regional Parliament for Burgos, followed by José Manuel García Verdugo. Another body, the Joint Committee of the Central Administration Representatives and the General Council of Castilla y León, created in November, would be in charge of the powers transfer.

This process, like it happened in most of the Spanish territory, was parallel to the constituent process, started in 1977. The end of this process, in 1978, let us define some guidelines in the creation of an autonomous region, like the way to agree the inclusion or not inclusion of a territory. Thus, by the end of 1978, in Castilla y León, there were guidelines to follow in order to create an autonomous region (given by the Constitution) and the bodies in charge to carry out the necessary tasks (like the General Council of Castilla y León). We needed the most important thing: to perform them.

It started then a tight work agenda. It was necessary to solve many matters, including the complex creation of the autonomous region the way we know it now. The creation of the Castilla y León autonomous region has been a long and complex process. While its creation, there was an open door for all the provinces that were part of the former Castilla La Vieja y León. Nevertheless, since the beginning, Santander and Logroño provinces choose to continue the one-province system, becoming the autonomous regions of Cantabria and La Rioja respectively.

The possibility to be part or not of the future autonomous region was a matter of choice. It could be reached by different means, and within the possibilities stated in the Constitution of 1978. To be part of it, Castilla y León had chosen the easiest way: to get the support of the County Councils and at least, two thirds, of the Town Halls whose population could represent most of the province. Then started the hard task to write the text of the Statute of Autonomy, a process that took over three years.