Ms. Puritz's Social Science Class

3ºESO Social Science Exam Unit 10: Political Organization and the State and Unit 12: The European Union

Please do not write on this sheet. Write all of your answers on the answer sheet provided.

PART A. Fill in the gaps. 20 questions worth 3 points each (60 points total):

All democratic states have four characteristics in common. Firstly, they believe in the concept of national sovereignty, meaning that the power to govern the people comes from the 1._______________. Secondly, all citizens are subject to a fundamental law called the 2.___________________. Thirdly, there is a 3._______________ ___ _______________, which means that political decisions are made by many people in several institutions and not by one person without the input of others. Legislative power (the power to make laws) resides in the 4. __________________ (which includes the 5._______________________ and the 6.__________________), while 7 ______________ power belongs to the government and judicial Power belongs to the judges and magistrates in the courts of Justice. Finally, citizens have 8. ____________ that are recognized by the state, such as the freedom of expression or the right of assembly.

To make a law in Spain, a legislative initiative must be submitted to the 9._________________________. It can come from four different places: the citizens (with 500,000 signatures to support it), the parliament, the regional assemblies or the 10._________________. Once it is studied, amended and passed by the Congress of Deputies it is sent to the 11. __________________, where it can be passed as it is, amended or vetoed. If this happens it is sent back to the 12.____________________, where it can be overridden, in which case it is sent directly to the 13. _______________, who signs it into law in a ceremony. Still, it does not come into effect until it is finally published in the 14.____________________.

In the European Union, citizens of EU countries are represented by directly electing members to the 15. _____________________________, which is one of the two institutions that hold legislative power. The other is the 16.___________________________ of the European Union, which is composed of 28 ministers, one from each of the national governments, without any fixed members, which means that each government sends the minister who works with the policy area being discussed that day. Executive power is held by the European 17.__________________, whose 28 commissioners are proposed by each country’s national government. The commissioners, however, must have the approval of the 18._________________________. Finally, broad general guidance is given by the European 19._______________________, where the leaders of each EU country meet in two summits every six months. They do not pass 20.__________, but they influence legislation by issuing statements about what priorities they want to see the other institutions work on.

PART B. Copy the chart below onto your answer sheet. Put the number of the concept in the box where it belongs. Each answer can only go in one box. 15 questions worth 1 point each (15 points total).

CONGRESS OF DEPUTIES	SENATE

1. Proportional representation

2. The president of the government can govern without the consent of this body

3. Can override the veto of the other

4. can present a moción de censura

5. Where the State of the Nation debate is held

6. Can make amendments to legislation

7. Territorial representation

8. Members are elected in two ways

9. Directly elected by the people in open lists

10. D’Hondt Method

11. Appointed by regional assemblies

12. Has the sole power to discipline regional presidents and suspend local governments

13. Closed party lists

14. accepts or rejects the Prime Minister

15. votes for or against a cuestión de confianza

PART C. Answer the questions in complete sentences. 5 questions worth 7 points each (35 points total):

1. Why do we say that the president of the government is elected indirectly?

2. What institution regulates the activities of judges and magistrates? What institutions appoint its members?

3. What is the role of the defensor del pueblo?

4. What is the role of the Tribunal de Cuentas? What institutions appoint its members?

5. Explain the difference between the “Communities of Common” and the Chartered Community of Navarra (Comunidad Foral de Navarra). How is this different from the diputaciones forales of the Basque Country?