The Spanish Constitution defines the national institutions. The head of state rules the nation. The Government is divided into 3 branches.
Head of state
The monarch acts as head of state. This is a hereditary position.
Legislative branch
The parliament consists of the Congress of Deputies and the Senate. Its members are elected every 4 years by Spanish citizens who are 18 years old or over.
Executive branch
The Government consists of the prime minister and the ministers. Spain has the highest percentage of female ministers in Europe. About 61% of the Spanish government are women. This is the highest percentage of women in any European government.
Judicial branch
The courts of justice are made up of judges and magistrates. The highest court in Spain is the Supreme Court.