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| Hundreds of thousands of Spaniards call for ban on Franco foundation | Hundreds of thousands of Spaniards call for ban on Franco foundation |
| (2 months later) | |
| Petition filed in parliament says foundations glorifying Hitler or Mussolini would be unthinkable in Germany or Italy | |
| Agence France-Presse | |
| Thu 23 Nov 2017 16.35 GMT | |
| Last modified on Thu 23 Nov 2017 17.49 GMT | |
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| More than 200,000 Spaniards have signed a petition filed in parliament on Thursday asking the government to ban the National Francisco Franco Foundation (FNFF), which glorifies Spain’s former dictator. | More than 200,000 Spaniards have signed a petition filed in parliament on Thursday asking the government to ban the National Francisco Franco Foundation (FNFF), which glorifies Spain’s former dictator. |
| “In Germany or in Italy, it would be unthinkable to have a Hitler foundation or a Mussolini foundation,” read the petition, filed by a group that included descendants of victims of the Franco regime, in power from 1939 to 1975. | “In Germany or in Italy, it would be unthinkable to have a Hitler foundation or a Mussolini foundation,” read the petition, filed by a group that included descendants of victims of the Franco regime, in power from 1939 to 1975. |
| Nearly 219,000 people signed the petition, which wants a law prohibiting an entity that glorifies a dictatorship and its crimes from obtaining the status of a foundation. | Nearly 219,000 people signed the petition, which wants a law prohibiting an entity that glorifies a dictatorship and its crimes from obtaining the status of a foundation. |
| “It’s beyond understanding that a democratic state allows such an organisation to be a foundation meant to accomplish work of general interest,” said Emilio Silva, founder of the Association for the Recovery of Historical Memory. | “It’s beyond understanding that a democratic state allows such an organisation to be a foundation meant to accomplish work of general interest,” said Emilio Silva, founder of the Association for the Recovery of Historical Memory. |
| “It’s a way of collaborating with its objectives,” added Silva, whose group seeks justice for victims of the 1936-1939 civil war and Franco’s ensuing dictatorship. | “It’s a way of collaborating with its objectives,” added Silva, whose group seeks justice for victims of the 1936-1939 civil war and Franco’s ensuing dictatorship. |
| “If you make a donation, it allows you to get a tax rebate – it’s a kind of indirect subsidy,” he said. | “If you make a donation, it allows you to get a tax rebate – it’s a kind of indirect subsidy,” he said. |
| “People can think and express what they want but the state cannot facilitate the financing of an organisation that works to publicly praise the dictator.” | “People can think and express what they want but the state cannot facilitate the financing of an organisation that works to publicly praise the dictator.” |
| On its website, the FNFF criticises “attacks” against the foundation. | On its website, the FNFF criticises “attacks” against the foundation. |
| It argues that while Hitler killed himself and Mussolini was murdered as the second world war was ending in 1945, Franco carried on until he died aged 82. | It argues that while Hitler killed himself and Mussolini was murdered as the second world war was ending in 1945, Franco carried on until he died aged 82. |
| He had taken power after a civil war he won with the help of the Axis leaders. | He had taken power after a civil war he won with the help of the Axis leaders. |
| The Franco foundation, whose honorary president is his 91-year-old daughter, actively defends the dictator’s work. | The Franco foundation, whose honorary president is his 91-year-old daughter, actively defends the dictator’s work. |
| In October, after a complaint by the foundation, a court suspended plans by Madrid’s city hall to change the names of streets and squares that pay tribute to heroes of Franco’s dictatorship, such as the Blue Division, a military unit that fought for the Nazis. | In October, after a complaint by the foundation, a court suspended plans by Madrid’s city hall to change the names of streets and squares that pay tribute to heroes of Franco’s dictatorship, such as the Blue Division, a military unit that fought for the Nazis. |
| But the petition filed on Thursday will remain symbolic for now, as it does not reach the minimum of 500,000 signatures required for the lower house to consider drafting a bill. | But the petition filed on Thursday will remain symbolic for now, as it does not reach the minimum of 500,000 signatures required for the lower house to consider drafting a bill. |
| Spain | |
| Francisco Franco | |
| Europe | |
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