The Franquist Regime and the Dilemma of Succession

This article explores the Spanish franquist regime\u27s attempts to resolve a succession crisis, as the death of Francisco Franco appeared imminent in the late 1960\u27s. It argues that Franco established the mechanisms for a smooth succession to the posts of head of state and head of government. However, these mechanisms failed to achieve Franco\u27s major goal: the continuation of authoritarian rule after his death. Ironically, Franco\u27s apparently ingenious “solution” to the dilemmas of succession facilitated a democratic transition that would have horrified the dictator