Spanish dictator Francisco Franco's body to be dug up and moved away from his Catholic basilica to stop it being a monument to fascism

  • Opposition parties vote to remove remains in move likely to be resisted 
  • Franco is buried at memorial to the 500,000 victims of the Spanish Civil War
  • He is the only person buried at the site who did not die in the civil war 
  • It has long been a site of pilgrimage for far-right groups in Spain 

By Charlotte Ikonen For Mailonline

Published: 12:01 EDT, 11 May 2017 | Updated: 12:06 EDT, 11 May 2017

Spain was ruled by brutal dictator Francisco Franco who killed up to 50,000 of his own countrymen and crushed any opposition until his death in 1975

Spain was ruled by brutal dictator Francisco Franco who killed up to 50,000 of his own countrymen and crushed any opposition until his death in 1975

Spain's opposition parties have voted to move the remains of fascist dictator Francisco Franco out of a state-funded mausoleum, in a move that the government is likely to resist.

The reviled general is buried at the controversial 'Valley of the Fallen' memorial, dedicated to the 500,000 victims of the Spanish Civil War.

The 150-metre cross at the Catholic basilica, built by prisoners of war over 19 years, towers over the Guadarrama Sierra, a mountain range west of Madrid.

Many of those interred there fought for the losing Republican side and were moved to the monument under Franco's dictatorship without their families' permission. 

The motion to exhume Franco's body, backed by parties on the left and centre, reflected growing pressure from campaign groups and politicians to turn the site into a broader memorial honouring those who died on both sides of Spain's 1936-1939 civil war.

It was passed today by 198 votes to one, while 140 lawmakers abstained, including those from the conservative People's Party (PP) of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy.  

Carved out of the side of a granite mountain stands an enormous mausoleum crowned with a towering stone cross. Spanish dictator Francisco Franco used forced labour to blast his own tomb out of solid rock, a grandiose project befitting a man who ruled with the absolute power of an Egyptian pharaoh

Carved out of the side of a granite mountain stands an enormous mausoleum crowned with a towering stone cross. Spanish dictator Francisco Franco used forced labour to blast his own tomb out of solid rock, a grandiose project befitting a man who ruled with the absolute power of an Egyptian pharaoh

Former Spanish dictator General Francisco Franco lies in state at Madrid's Royal Palace in this November 21, 1975

Former Spanish dictator General Francisco Franco lies in state at Madrid's Royal Palace in this photo (left) taken in November 21, 1975. He is pictured, right, in 1936 when he was chief of staff for the military

Introducing the bill for the socialists, MP Gregorio Cámara said there was 'nothing in it that any democrat couldn't support'.

The PP has long opposed attempts to exhume Franco's body, saying this would only stir up painful memories more than four decades after his death and nearly 80 years after the end of the war. 

The motion also called for tens of thousands of other bodies buried at the mausoleum just outside Madrid, known as the Valley of the Fallen, to be exhumed.

The mausoleum is seen by many as a relic of Spain's dictatorial past. 

Clouds cover the cross on top of the Spanish former dictator General Francisco Franco's tomb at the Valle de los Caidos (Valley of the Fallen), near Madrid

Clouds cover the cross on top of the Spanish former dictator General Francisco Franco's tomb at the Valle de los Caidos (Valley of the Fallen), near Madrid

Republican prisoners, defeated by Franco’s troops in the 1936-39 civil war, built the dictator’s mausoleum, over which towers a 150m stone cross

Republican prisoners, defeated by Franco's troops in the 1936-39 civil war, built the dictator's mausoleum, over which towers a 150m stone cross

Tourists take a selfie outside the memorial, which has long been a site of pilgrimage for far-right groups in Spain. Today's motion reflects the growing pressure from campaign groups and politicians to turn the site into a broader memorial honouring those who died on both sides of the war

Tourists take a selfie outside the memorial, which has long been a site of pilgrimage for far-right groups in Spain. Today's motion reflects the growing pressure from campaign groups and politicians to turn the site into a broader memorial honouring those who died on both sides of the war

Franco's body lies inside the consecrated Catholic basilica, against his wishes. The government has never provided an estimate of how many died during Franco's regime, but former Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzon has estimated that 114,000 could have ended up in the mass graves

Franco's body lies inside the consecrated Catholic basilica, against his wishes. The government has never provided an estimate of how many died during Franco's regime, but former Spanish Judge Baltasar Garzon has estimated that 114,000 could have ended up in the mass graves

Youths give the fascist salute after a mass to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the death of Franco in the Valle de los Caidos in 1998

Youths give the fascist salute after a mass to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the death of Franco in the Valle de los Caidos in 1998

Dictator Francisco Franco in his open coffin after his death on 20 November 1975

Dictator Francisco Franco in his open coffin after his death on 20 November 1975

Franco's wife Dona Carmen Franco, and their daughter, Carmen Martinez Bordio, (right) walk past his open coffin at the chapel of El Pardo Palace in Madrid

Franco's wife Dona Carmen Franco, and their daughter, Carmen Martinez Bordio, (right) walk past his open coffin at the chapel of El Pardo Palace in Madrid

Opened by Franco himself in 1959, the Valley houses a Catholic basilica set into a hillside, where the founder of Spain's fascist Falange party, Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera, is also interred. 

It has long been a site of pilgrimage for far-right groups in Spain. 

The then-Socialist government approved a so-called 'Law of Historical Memory' in 2007, aimed at giving greater recognition to victims on both sides of the war.

It has not always been easy to implement, however, in a country where many streets and squares still bear Franco's name, and the PP cut state funding for this initiative after it came to power in late 2011. 

Franco's coffin is carried during the burial ceremonies in Madrid 

Franco's coffin is carried during the burial ceremonies in Madrid 

General Francisco Franco pictured with Carmen and daughter, and dog, Dick. For decades, Spain did not address Franco's, and even now his country-folk are divided on the subject – although many would prefer to forget about it altogether

General Francisco Franco pictured with Carmen and daughter, and dog, Dick. For decades, Spain did not address Franco's, and even now his country-folk are divided on the subject – although many would prefer to forget about it altogether

US President Richard Nixon, left, and Franco salute as the US and Spanish national anthems are played at Madrid airport in 1964

US President Richard Nixon, left, and Franco salute as the US and Spanish national anthems are played at Madrid airport in 1964

Franco, right, embraces Former U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower, in 1959, at the end of the latter's visit in Madrid

Franco, right, embraces Former U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower, in 1959, at the end of the latter's visit in Madrid

General Franco speaks to naval forces at Vinaroz, Spain, on July 26, 1938, en route to the front to supervise the drive against the Republican Army at Valencia

General Franco speaks to naval forces at Vinaroz, Spain, on July 26, 1938, en route to the front to supervise the drive against the Republican Army at Valencia

Franco (rightutes beside his wife, the then Prince Juan Carlos of Spain and his wife Princess Sofia as they listen to the national anthem during a ceremony at El Pardo Palace in this October 4, 1975. The picture was taken days before the general's death

Franco (right) salutes beside his wife, the then Prince Juan Carlos of Spain and his wife Princess Sofia as they listen to the national anthem during a ceremony at El Pardo Palace in this October 4, 1975. The picture was taken days before the general's death

Spain's socialists have pushed for his exhumation for years, arguing his presence sullies the memory of the fallen and acts as a pilgrimage site for Francoists. 

He is the only person buried at the site who did not die in the civil war.

The motion was spearheaded by the Socialist party, which called for Franco to be moved to a private burial site and for the Valley to be converted into an information centre.

'The government has a democratic duty to understand that our historical memory belongs to all of us, and that the wounds of the past will only be cured with greater truth,' Socialist lawmaker Gregorio Camara told a parliamentary session earlier this week. 

BRUTAL LEADER WHO KILLED UP TO 50,000 OF HIS OWN COUNTRYMEN IN HIS REIGN OF TERROR AND POLITICAL OPPRESSION AFTER TAKING POWER IN BLOODY CIVIL WAR

General Francisco Franco and his group of nationalists fought the Republicans in a brutal war between 1936 and 1939 that divided the nation

General Francisco Franco and his group of nationalists fought the Republicans in a brutal war between 1936 and 1939 that divided the nation

Spain was ruled by a brutal dictator who killed up to 50,000 of his own countrymen and crushed any opposition until his death in 1975.

General Francisco Franco and his group of nationalists fought the Republicans in a brutal war between 1936 and 1939.

It was portrayed as a struggle between democracy and fascism, with Franco going on to win and rule for the next 36 years.

The Nationalist forces received munitions and soldiers from Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, while the communist Soviet Union and socialist Mexico offered support to the Republican (Loyalist) side.

The war became known for its atrocities, with Franco purging conquered areas of any leftist opposition

It was a habit that continued as he ruled the country with an iron fist for more than 30 years

It is thought that he killed between 15,000 and 50,000 people in his reign of political oppression.

Trade unions and opposition parties were banned, and thousands were forced to flee the country.

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