Government and Society

Spain is a democratic state. After people turn 18, they have got the right to vote in elections to choose their political representatives in Parliament.
All citizens have the right to express their opinions freely. They can also form political parties associations, and organise peaceful, public protests. As citizens, we have all got rights, as well as reponsibilities. For example, we must pay taxes, obey laws, and respect other people's rights.

The European Union es a confederation of countries. A confederation is a group of countries united for a common purpose.
The EU's purpose is to promote political and economic union in a space without political frontiers.
The first member states were France, Italy, Germany, Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg. Today there are twenty-seven countries and 490 million citizens in the EU.