Spanish Republican government in Exile
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The Spanish Republican government in exile was a continuation of the government of the Second Spanish Republic, which was established in exile after the victory of Francisco Franco's forces in the Spanish Civil War in April 1939. It continued in existence until the restoration of Spanish democracy in 1977.
On the fall of the Republic in April 1939, the President (Manuel Azaña) and Prime Minister (Juan Negrín) went into exile in France. Azaña resigned his post and died in November 1940. He was succeeded as President by Diego Martínez Barrio, who had been Prime Minister in 1936. When Nazi Germany occupied France in 1940, the government was reconstituted in Mexico, which under the left-wing President Lázaro Cárdenas continued to recognise the Republic as the legal government of Spain - although Negrín spent the war years in London. Negrín resigned as Prime Minister in 1945 and was succeeded by José Giral.
Until 1945 the exiled Republicans had high hopes that at the end of World War II in Europe, Franco's regime would be removed from power by the victorious Allies and that they would be able to return to Spain. When these hopes were disappointed, the government-in-exile faded away to a purely symbolic role, although Tito's government in Yugoslavia joined Mexico and the Soviet Union in giving it diplomatic recognition (Tito had taken part in the Civil War). The government moved back to Paris in 1946. There was also a Basque government in exile and a Catalan government in exile.
After Franco's death in 1975, King Juan Carlos restored democratic government. In 1977 the exiled Republicans decided to accept the re-establishment of the monarchy and recognise the new government. On 1 July 1977 the Government of Spanish Republic was formally dissolved. In a gesture of reconciliation, King Juan Carlos received the exile leaders at a ceremony in Madrid.
[edit] Presidents in exile
- Diego Martínez Barrio 1940-62
- Luis Jiménez de Asúa 1962-70
- José Antonio Maldonado 1970-77
[edit] Prime ministers in exile
- Juan Negrín López 1939-45
- José Giral Pereira 1945-47
- Rodolfo Llopis Ferrándiz 1947
- Álvaro de Albornoz y Liminiana 1947-51
- Félix Gordón Ordás 1951-60
- Emilio Herrera Linares 1960-62
- Claudio Sánchez-Albornoz y Menduiña 1962-71
- Fernando Valera Aparicio 1971-77
