Blog #1986

In the last 50 years two things happened that changed Spain - for ever and, in this writer's opinion, for the good. First of all, 50 years ago last November 20th, Franco finally left us when he died aged 95. Then, the second thing that changed Spain for the better was her accession to the European Economic Community (now the European Union). That was 40 years ago, on January 1st 1986.

From the end of the Civil War in 1939 through to the demise of Franco's fascist dictatorship on his death in 1975, Spain was most definitely a 3rd-world country. Following Spain's return to being a monarchy in 1975 and, from 1977, a constitutional democracy, there was hope that things would improve. The borders opened and from 1986 Spain became a member of the European Union.