In comparison to many other areas of European political studies, contemporary Spain has received little attention. This text aims to fill this gap by describing and analyzing the institutions of government and, exploring the distinctive traits of its policy processes at regional, national and European levels. Many of the issues which have dominated Spanish political agendas in the 1980s and 1990s are discussed throughout the book. The study of Spanish politics is regarded as offering a solid introduction to themes dominating European political discourse. This is not only because of the country's experiences of democratic transition and consolidation and the construction of a system of government for its regions and nationalities, but also because of its elevation into a leading member state of the European Union.