Francisco Franco's political management during the dictatorship

Historian Julio Gil Pecharromán, a professor at UNED, has described the political management of the Franco regime as a system of “rewards and punishments.” Speaking at the study sessions “From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Vision from Zamora,” Pecharromán explained that while the regime was a single-party system, various ideological currents competed for control of the Government and the Cortes.

Pecharromán identified several key political groups that Franco manipulated to his own benefit, including the CEDA (Catholics), the monarchists of Renovación Española, the Carlist Traditionalist Community, and the Falangists. He noted that Franco was particularly suspicious of the Falangists due to their tendency toward insurrection.

A fifth group, the technocrats linked to Opus Dei, played a significant role in the 1960s by implementing development plans that modernized Spain economically rather than politically. Admiral Carrero Blanco was noted as a favorite within this technocratic faction. The professor characterized the regime as paternalistic, noting that Franco frequently promoted or sidelined individuals based on their compliance with his will.