[1][2] Originally created under the name of the National Council of FET and the JONS on 19 October 1937 in the midst of the Civil War, it would continue to exist until 1977, following the death of Francisco Franco and the dismantling of institutions of his regime.

[7] On 5 August 1937, Franco promulgated the statutes of FET and JONS, defined as "the inspiring Militant Movement and base of the Spanish State",[8] in which it was established that "the Movement, in terms of organization, would include three classes of active members: militants, who were all those affiliated with the existing political groupings at the time of Unification (a way of fusing old shirts with new shirts and traditionalists); military, since all active generals, chiefs, officers and classes of the Army were considered full members; and adherents, who once again registered and were required to prove service capacity before becoming militants.

[9] Regarding the National Council, in the statutes it was said that it would be made up of the National Chief (the Caudillo himself), the president and vice president of the Political Junta, the head of the Militias and the delegates of the different services of the party, in addition to those that the Caudillo designated "by reason of his hierarchy in the State, up to a number not exceeding twelve and those who are in attention to their merits and exceptional services."

[12] The Council was made up of 50 members and brought together various political tendencies, with a majority of old Falangists (Pilar Primo de Rivera, Mercedes Sanz, Fernández-Cuesta, Agustín Aznar, Ridruejo, Girón, Sancho Dávila, Jesús Suevos) and neo-Falangists (Gamero del Castillo), which together exceeded fifty percent (they totaled twenty-six).

With them, traditionalists (Tomás Domínguez Arévalo, Romualdo de Toledo y Robles and Fal Conde, who did not attend), monarchists (José María Pemán, Eugenio Montes Domínguez, Yanguas, Valdecasas, Vegas, Pedro Sainz Rodríguez) and military (Gonzalo Queipo de Llano, Jordana, Juan Yagüe, Juan Luis Beigbeder, José Monasterio Ituarte).