Public opinion and forms of government: The monarchy–republic debate in Spain

Abstract

This article analyses the factors which affect trust in the Spanish monarchy and public preferences between monarchy and republic. In order to investigate these two factors, 9420 people were interviewed across Spain using a specially designed survey. The data show the extent to which the perception of the monarchy’s effectiveness affects trust in the institution and in the form of government. The answers to these two questions revealed a significant polarization in the Spanish society.