King Alfonso XIII allows Free Elections

King Alfonso XIII of Spain has allowed for entirely free elections in his sovereignty for the first time in sixty years.

Morale in the country is very low. The military has already risen up under the King and former Prime Minister, Dámaso Berenguer, who resigned on February 14th of this year. Currently, the Prime Minister is Admiral Juan Bautista Aznar-Cabañas.

Elections are going on throughout Spain today.

Berenguer resigns

General Dámaso Berenguer resigned yesterday under increasing government problems.Admiral Juan Bautista Aznar-Cabañas has been asked to be Prime Minister.

The government after Rivera's departure last year never was able to do much. As prime minister, Berenguer repealed some of the harsher measures introduced by Primo de Rivera, earning his regime the nickname dictablanda ("dictatorship lite") or Parum Mentula.

He also faced a number of problems – increasing demands for the abolition of the monarchy; disorganisation among the country's political parties after seven years of repression, making the calling of prompt elections an impossible task and labour unrest.

Berenguer to be Spanish PM

After Rivera's departure, Spanish King Alfonso XIII demanded Cuban-born Aristocrat Dámaso Berenguer, 1st Count of Xauen, to create government. This was done very quickly after Rivera tended his resignation.

Berenguer is a General and has served as the Minister of War. In 1923, he faced court martial but after Rivera's coup d'état, he was released from any criminality.