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The Spanish legislature (from the Cortes de Cadiz) began on December 13, 2011 when, following the general elections, the Cortes General were constituted. These General Courts were dissolved on 27 October 2015 on the occasion of the call for elections for the following 20 December, although the legislature was extended until 13 January 2016, when its Permanent Deputies were dissolved on the occasion of the constitution of the new General Courts. He was preceded by the legislature and succeeded by the legislature.

The People's Party obtained an absolute majority in both chambers. Mariano Rajoy was inaugurated president of the government and formed his first government. The legislature was characterized by the continuation of the economic crisis in Spain, which became a social, institutional, territorial and political crisis. The European rescue to the Spanish bank took place and the increase in unemployment stopped. During this term, King John Charles I abdicated, and Philip VI was proclaimed king of Spain.

Beginning of the legislature

General elections

The general elections were held on 20 November 2011. The elections would have been held in March 2012, but the president of the government José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero decided to advance the elections. The result of these elections gave the People's Party (PP) an absolute majority with a total of 186 seats obtained against the 110 seats obtained by the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), so Mariano Rajoy was inaugurated President of the Government on December 20, 2011.

The results of these elections gave the PP, which won a considerable absolute majority in the Congress of Deputies with 186 seats (32 more than in 2008) and 44.63% of the votes; compared with the PSOE, which won 110 seats (59 less than 2008) and 28.76% of the votes. United Left (IU) recovered its own parliamentary group by obtaining 11 representatives (9 more than in 2008) with 6.92% of the vote being the third most voted party. Union Progress and Democracy (UPyD) became the fourth force with 5 representatives and 4.70% of the votes. Convergència i Unió (CiU) increased its seats by 6 by obtaining 16. On the other hand, the Basque Nationalist Party lost a seat by getting 5. Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (ERC), with three deputies, Coalition Canaria (CC), with two, and the Galego Nationalist Block (BNG), also with two, retained their seats. The new Congress was one of the most heterogeneous of democracy by descending bipartisan. Among the new forces were the Amaiur coalition with 7 representatives, Coalició Compromís, FAC and Geroa Bai with one representative each.

In the Senate, the PP won 136 senators (35 more than in 2008), while the PSOE won 48 seats (40 less than in 2008). They also obtained representation CiU with 9 senators (5 more), Entesa pel Progré