Radical Democratic Party (Spain)

The Radical Democratic Party (Partido Radical Demócrata) was a Spanish political party active during the Second Republic (1931-1939). It was formed in 1934 as a splinter group from the Radical Republican Party (Partido Republicano Radical) led by Diego Martínez Barrio. The split occurred due to disagreements with the increasingly conservative and authoritarian direction of the Radical Republican Party under the leadership of Alejandro Lerroux, particularly following the events of the "Bienio Negro" (Black Biennium) or "Two Black Years" (1934-1936).

Martínez Barrio and his followers advocated for a more left-leaning, democratic, and secular approach within the Republican framework. They opposed the Radical Republican Party's increasing collaboration with right-wing parties like the CEDA (Confederación Española de Derechas Autónomas).

The Radical Democratic Party participated in the Popular Front coalition that won the February 1936 elections. Martínez Barrio served briefly as Prime Minister in the spring of 1936, attempting to navigate the increasingly polarized political climate.

During the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), the Radical Democratic Party aligned with the Republican side. With the victory of Franco's Nationalist forces, the party was outlawed, and its members were either exiled, imprisoned, or executed. The party effectively ceased to exist after the war.

The Radical Democratic Party, though short-lived, played a significant role in the political turmoil of the Second Republic, representing a faction of the Republican movement that sought to maintain democratic principles and resist the drift towards both right-wing authoritarianism and left-wing revolution.