From dictatorship to democracy: lecture gives a journalist's view of the Spanish transition

Juan Luis Cebrián, the founding editor of El País, Spain's leading daily newspaper, will be giving the annual Ramón Pérez de Ayala lecture at the University of Southampton later this month.

The lecture 'The Spanish Transition: a rehearsal for democracy', which takes place at the University's Avenue Campus on 13 March (6.00pm), will be in English. All are welcome, no tickets required.

Head of the University's School of Modern Languages, Dr Clare Mar Molinero, said: "El País is not only Spain's leading daily, both in circulation and impact, but historically the newspaper played an important role in the transition from Franco's dictatorship to full democracy.

"It is the success of Spain's smooth transition from a tight authoritarian dictatorship to successful Western democracy with constitutional monarchy that Juan Luis Cebrián will be discussing in his lecture.

"Until El País appeared there really weren't such things as national papers in Spain," adds Dr Mar Molinero. "Juan Luis Cebrián was key to the development of the paper and remained editor for many years. We are delighted that he has been able to accept our invitation to speak in Southampton and look forward to a fascinating insight into Spanish political and social life at the time of the Transición."

Juan Luis Cebrián is currently chief executive officer of publishing conglomerate Grupo Prisa, and is a member of the Spanish Royal Academy.