Ministerio de Defensa | |
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Agency overview | |
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Formed | 1977 |
Type | Ministry |
Jurisdiction | Government of Spain |
Headquarters | Paseo de la Castellana, 109 28071 Madrid 40°27′21″N 3°41′27″W / 40.45587°N 3.69077°WCoordinates: 40°27′21″N 3°41′27″W / 40.45587°N 3.69077°W |
Minister responsible | |
Website | www |
The Ministry of Defence (Spanish: Ministerio de Defensa) is a department of the Government of Spain. It is the administrative and executive body of the Spanish Armed Forces. The present incumbent of that Ministry is Mrs. María Dolores de Cospedal who is a member of the People's Party (PP).
The Ministry of Justice is a department of the General Administration responsible for ordering, coordinating and carrying out the general guidelines of the Government about the defence policy. According to the Spanish Constitution of 1978, the King is the Commander in Chief of the Spanish military. He can declare war or conclude peace without authorization of the Parliament, provided this act is countersigned by the Prime Minister.
The Defense Department determines and oversees:
From 1808 to 1834 the equivalent department was the "Secretariat of the Office of War." From 1 January 1834 until 1939, its name was the "Ministry of War." Between 1863 and 1899, the ministry worked in cooperation with the Ministry of Overseas, which was in charge of the administration of the colonies.
The current Defence Department was one of the first ministerial portfolios created during the Transición. Until 4 July 1977, during the regime of General Franco, there were three ministerial portfolios, one for each of the different branches of the Armed Forces: the army, navy, and air force. During the Transición, Adolfo Suárez combined them into one.
The Department is organized as follows:
The Civil Guard depends on the Ministry of Defence in the terms stipulated by laws.
The Ministry of Defence's consultant and advisory bodies are:
(1) Minister of Defence
(2) Minister of National Defence
(3) Minister of the Army
(4) Minister of the Navy
(5) Minister of the Air Forces
(6) Minister of War
(7) Royal Secretary of War