The eighth[b] government of Francisco Franco was formed on 30 October 1969, after the latter had sacked 13 out of 18 of his ministers—in what was to become the largest cabinet reshuffle in the whole Francoist period—as a result of internal divisions between the various factions within the National Movement and the unveiling of the Matesa scandal earlier that year.
[3][4] It succeeded the seventh Franco government and was the Government of Spain from 30 October 1969 to 9 June 1973, a total of 1,318 days, or 3 years, 7 months and 10 days.
[5] Franco's eighth cabinet was made up of members from the different factions or "families" within the National Movement: mainly the FET y de las JONS party—the only legal political party during the Francoist regime—the military, the Opus Dei and the National Catholic Association of Propagandists (ACNP), as well as a number of aligned-nonpartisan technocrats or figures from the civil service.
[6][7] It would be the last government under the direct control of Franco, as he would give up the post of prime minister to his deputy Luis Carrero Blanco on 9 June 1973.
Francisco Franco's eighth government was organised into several superior and governing units, whose number, powers and hierarchical structure varied depending on the ministerial department.