ABSTRACT
The 30-year-old history of the Spanish Partido Popular (PP) can be divided into two distinct periods. In the first, between 1976 and 1996, the party suffered deep and frequent changes, affecting its organization, leadership, ideology and programmes. In the second, between 1996 and 2005, changes have almost been absent. The PP was born as Alianza Popular (Popular Alliance, AP) in October 1976, when Spain was starting its transition to democracy. It entered the new Spanish party system as a very rightist and minor party, which managed to become the main opposition party by 1982, and to reach national government between 1996 and 2004, when unexpectedly it lost general elections and returned to opposition.
