La 2 delves into the social struggle that brought about the conquest of democracy

In 1995, TVE deemed that Spanish democracy was mature enough to recount its own recent history. Journalist Victoria Prego directed 'The Transition', a series that unravelled the historical events that ended the Franco regime. In an unparalleled television document, she interviewed the protagonists of those years to explain firsthand how freedom came to Spain. Political leaders such as Adolfo Suárez, Felipe González, Manuel Fraga, and Santiago Carrillo spoke, as well as former minister Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado and Cardinal Tarancón, a key figure in the Church for his opposition to Francoism.

Now, coinciding with the year marking five decades since the death of dictator Francisco Franco, La 2 premieres a new documentary series tomorrow (10:00 PM), 'The Conquest of Democracy', which aims to highlight the social struggle that made the democratic transition in our country possible. The season will consist of six 60-minute episodes produced by RTVE in collaboration with Tevescop. The format originates from an original idea by lawyer, trade unionist, and journalist Nicolás Sartorius, and producer Fernando Galindo.

The project, initiated during the presidency of former corporation president Elena Sánchez, focuses on the importance of social movements, such as workers, students, or neighbourhoods, in the conquest of democracy alongside other political actors or the Crown. "The dictatorship did not die in bed. It died in the streets," reflected Sartorius, who recalled that Franco died of illness in a hospital bed on November 20, 1975, but the dictatorial regime continued with Arias Navarro's repressive government and "attempted to continue the dictatorship in other forms." "In 1976, there was total repression. For example, with the public order court. It was necessary to fight hard to pave the way towards agreements, freedom, and democracy," he explained.

That is the objective, according to Sartorius, of the new documentary series by the public broadcaster. "Social movements fought in a united and organised manner. Democracy was not given to us by anyone, neither gods nor kings, nor tribunes. It was the people," defended the lawyer during the project's presentation at the Monumental Theatre in Madrid, conducted by TVE journalist Xabier Fortes.

Precisely, the first of the six episodes titled 'The Path is Made by Walking', directed by Arantxa Torres, goes back to the protest of a group of students at the Central University against Franco's regime in 1956, whose arrests led to mobilisations throughout Spain, followed by the miners' strikes in Asturias in 1962, the Munich Congress, the 'Capuchinada' of Sarriá, or the march to Madrid organised by the Workers' Commissions union.

"National reconciliation was made on San Bernardo Street in Madrid in February 1956. Thousands of students converged against the dictatorship and for freedom. Some were children of the victors and others of the vanquished, but they wanted reconciliation," recalls the ideologue of the documentary series. "It was the break of the university with the regime, which began to realise that the next elites of the country were emerging there, with lawyers, doctors, or engineers, and that they had an anti-Franco mentality. And that was decisive for the end of the dictatorship," explained Sartorius.

With original music by Alberto Iglesias, 'The Conquest of Democracy' will feature six episodes directed by six different directors, who will bring their personal perspective and experience to the historical period. The second episode is titled 'The Beginning of the End', directed by Ángeles González Sinde. The third instalment, by Azucena Rodríguez, will focus on how social struggle propelled the democratic transition, especially after Franco's death.

Filmmaker Imanol Uribe will direct the fourth episode titled 'Rebels with a Cause: The University Hotbed'. "What has impressed me the most is the documentation that has been obtained. It is very spectacular," he previewed. Subsequently, film director Tània Balló will direct the episode called 'The Silent Majority', which delves into the Democratic Military Unit (UMD), the Justice Democratic Association, or the neighbourhood, rural, women's, or LGBTI struggles to achieve freedom.

Finally, the series concludes with 'The Resurgence of Hope', by Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón. "The process began as a pact but ended with a rupture and with one of the most progressive constitutions in the world. Democracy was brought by the pressure of the people," he insisted.