Second government of Manuel Azaña

The second government of Manuel Azaña was formed on 16 December 1931, following the latter's appointment as prime minister of Spain by President Niceto Alcalá-Zamora and his swearing-in that same day. It succeeded the first Azaña government and was the government of Spain from 16 December 1931 to 12 June 1933, a total of 544 days, or 1 year, 5 months and 27 days.

The cabinet comprised members of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), the Radical Socialist Republican Party (PRRS), the Republican Action (AR) and the Autonomous Galician Republican Organization (ORGA), as well as one independent minister proposed by Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC). It was disestablished as a consequence of the fallout of the Casas Viejas incident and the withdrawal of presidential confidence due to the approval of the Law on Religious Congregations.^[1]

The Constitution of 1931 enshrined Spain as a semi-presidential republic, awarding the President of the Republic the capability of appointing government ministers at will unless the Cortes refused explicitly, that is to say, through a motion of no confidence.^[2] He could also inspect and ultimately control executive acts by granting or denying the signature of presidential decrees ^[3] and dissolve the Cortes. ^[4]

With the approval of the Constitution and the election of the President of the Republic, the provisional government dissolved itself and Alcalá-Zamora started the round of consultations to name a new government.

• Casares Quiroga would be acting Minister of Communications until 31 March 1932, when it was integrated into the Ministry of Governance as an undersecretary. ^[7]