Falange Española

the Falange Espñaola Tradicionalistay de las Juntas Ofensivas Nacional Sindicalistas (the Spanish Falange of Traditionalists and Juntas of the National Syndicalist Offensive), a fascist party in Spain, expressing the interests of part of the most reactionary strata of the financial oligarchy and landowners.

In October 1933, José Antonio Primo de Rivera created the party under the name Falange Española. In 1934 the party merged with another fascist organization (the Juntas of the National Syndicalist Offensive) and was renamed the Spanish Falange of Juntas of the National Syndicalist Offensive (FEJONS). In November 1934, Primo de Rivera elaborated its program—the so-called 26 Points of the Falange. In April 1937 the FEJONS was united with a monarchist party called the Traditionalist Community and other reactionary groupings and was named the Spanish Falange of Traditionalists and Juntas of the National Syndicalist Offensive; General F. Franco became its leader. In 1936–39 the party took part in the armed struggle against the Spanish Republic. In Franco’s Spain the Falange became the ruling and only legal party in the country. In the mid-1950’s another name for the party, the National Movement, came into wide use; the Law of the Principles of the National Movement was issued on May 17, 1958. In the 1950’s the party entered a period of serious crisis. Several groupings, currents, and circles formed within its ranks.