El referendum sobre la permanencia de España en la OTAN

This article presents a chronological and historic overview of Spain joining NATO, a process which was initiated during the first government of the Union de Centro Democratico (UCD) under Adolfo Suarez. This process culminated with the referendum that took place on March 12, 1986, in which the Spanish people endorsed this organization. Throughout the process, the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) played an essential role as it went from radically opposing the process to taking a favorably stance in accepting it. The causes for a change in attitude and opinion towards the process by different groups and social classes, such as the church, media outlets and the public, will be analyzed throughout the paper.