Adolfo Suárez Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
| Adolfo Suárez González President of the Government of Spain
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| Tenure | July 5, 1976 to February 25, 1981 |
| Preceded by | Carlos Arias Navarro |
| Succeeded by | Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo |
| Date of birth | September 25 1932 |
| Place of birth | Cebreros, Ávila province |
| First Lady | Amparo Illana Elórtegui |
| Party | Union of Democratic Center (UCD) |
Because he worked within the National Movement (Movimiento Nacional), the ideological structure based on the Spanish Phalanx (Falange Española Tradicionalista y de las JONS) that acted as the single party, for 18 years and became its General Secretary following the death of Franco in late 1975, centrist and leftist forces opposed his appointment in July 1976, as president of the Government by King Juan Carlos I. Suárez was chosen by the monarch to lead the country towards a democratic, parliamentary monarchy. Surprising many observers and political foes, Suárez introduced the Political Reform in 1976 as a first, decisive step in what was called the Transition (Transición).
In 1977 he led the coalition Union of Democratic Center (Unión de Centro Democrático, UCD, consisting of former Francoist officers now preferring democracy) to victory in Spain's first free elections in 41 years, and became the first democratically elected Prime Minister after the Franco regime.
His centrist government instituted democratic reforms, and his coalition again won the 1979 elections under the new constitution. Less successful as a day-to-day organizer than as a crisis manager, he was replaced as premier in 1981. In 1982 he founded Democratic and Social Center (Centro Democrático y Social, CDS) party, which never achieved the success of UCD. He retired from active politics in 1991, caused by a weakening of his political party and of family reasons.
He won the award "Príncipe de Asturias a la Concordia" in September 1996, marking his important personal support to the Spanish democracy. Now that he is not into politic competition, he enjoys a great prestige and is widely recognized as the introducer of democracy. The King of Spain entitled him Duke of Suárez.
Family
Both his wife, Amparo Illana Elórtegui, and elder daughter, Marian Suárez Illana, suffered long cancers that finally brought death to them, in 2001 and 2004, respectively. Another daughter, Sonsoles Suárez Illana, got married with playboy Pocholo Martínez-Bordiú, grandson of Francisco Franco. After a divorce, Sonsoles went abroad on voluntary work, and returned to be a TV news anchor for Antena 3. Son Adolfo Suárez Illana was elected personally by José María Aznar as the People's Party (PP) candidate to the post of president of the Autonomous Community of Castilla-La Mancha, but he lost against incumbent José Bono, of Spanish Workers' Socialist Party (PSOE). Former president Suárez has two more siblings, Laura and Javier.