The Spanish constitutional monarchy is today a consolidated democracy. Only in the Basque provinces (Euskadi) is there any significant challenge to the legitimacy of the regime. In that region, about one quarter of the population still regard the Spanish state as an illegitimate imposition on the Basque nation. Some Basque parties have maintained (at least until very recently) a semiloyal stance vis-à-vis the regime, and one has functioned unequivocally as an antisystem party. That party, Herri Batasuna, has consistently received about one sixth of the vote in regional and national elections over the past decade and a half. It has also supported an organization, Euskadi ta Askatasuna (ETA), that has used terrorist violence in its campaign for Basque independence – a clear violation of the democratic rules of the game.

But there can be no doubt that the present democratic regime is sufficiently consolidated to have survived even this dramatic challenge. Despite the terrorist violence that has claimed over seven hundred lives, support for the system has remained solid. Public opinion polls have revealed widespread popular support for this democratic regime and no significant rejection of existing institutions or practices. No nationwide party maintains a semiloyal or antisystemstance, and all unequivocally support the constitution (ratified overwhelmingly, except in Euskadi, by a popular referendum in 1978). Behavioral conformity with democratic rules of the game (except in Euskadi) is as extensive as in other consolidated democracies.