Religion and politics in Spain: new configurations of religions differentiation

Abstract

This article analyses the relations between religion and politics in Spain in the last twenty years. Against the background of a conflict-rich past caused by the cleavage in relation to religion, one of the most relevant characteristics is the growing insignificance of religion. This development has been the result of strategies by the political and religious elites since the transition to democracy and is also a reflection of the intense secularisation process Spain has gone through. Based on the analysis of post-election empirical data, the author emphasises the weakening of the cleavage and the secondary role religion plays in the voting behaviour of the Spanish people.