Conflicting legacies of Francoism after the dictatorship: the case of Fuerza Nueva e Partido Socialista Obrero Español

This thesis aims to critically examine the enduring legacy and historical memory of Francoism and its influence on the strategies and identities of two key political movements - the far-right Fuerza Nueva and the socialist Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE) - during the Spanish democratic transition. The primary objective is to conduct a historical-comparative analysis to understand how these movements, both operating in the immediate aftermath of the dictatorship, adopted fundamentally different approaches to the Francoist past. The study seeks to investigate the profound opposition between Fuerza Nueva's appeal to Franco's heritage and the PSOE's complete rejection of the dictatorship as a strategy for political rebirth and transition. The research draws upon a first chapter that provides essential historical context, outlining the origins and development of the Franco regime from the 1920s to the 1970s. Then, through the analysis of historical documents, electoral campaigns, and political discourse, the study identifies the key ideological and strategic elements of both parties. Subsequently, the research investigates how this contestation of historical memory shaped Spain's new political landscape in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The findings aim to demonstrate that the legacy of Francoism was not a monolithic force, but rather a contested space that was actively used to construct opposing political identities.