Spain's first elected Prime Minister. Appointed by King Juan Carlos on July 4, 1976, shortly before the king's death, as the Prime Minister of Spain following General Franco's death. He introduced Political Reform in 1976 as a first step in the transition to democracy. In 1977, he led the Union of the Democratic Center, the political party he created, in winning Spain's first free elections in 41 years, and became the first democratically-elected prime minister of the post-Franco regime. His political party united conservatives and progressives. His government led a group of political accords between leftist and conservative parties facilitating freedom of speech and association, and worked to reverse inflation. In 1981, King Juan Carlos awarded him the title Duke of Suárez, together with the title Grandee of Spain, in recognition of his role in the transition to democracy. Suárez was also awarded the Príncipe de Asturias a la Concordia in September 1996 for his role in Spain's early democracy. In 2007, during the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the first democratic elections, King Juan Carlos appointed Suárez a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece. He was also a member of the Club de Madrid, an independent organization with its base in Madrid, composed of more than 80 former democratic prime ministers and presidents. The group's goal is to strengthen democratic governments and leadership. Among his honors were Commander's Cross (1967), Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit (1969), Grand Cross of the Civil Order of Alfonso X, the Wise (1970), Grand Cross of the Military Merit with White Decoration (1970), Grand Cross of the Order of Naval Merit (1972), Grand Cross of the Order of Cisneros (1972), Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (1973), Grand Cross of the Order of the Yoke and the Arrows (1975), Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III (1978), Grand Cross of the Order of Christ, (Portugal, 1978), Grand Cross of the Order of Liberty (Portugal, 1996), Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece of Spain (2007), and Collar of the Order of Charles III (Posthumous, March 24, 2014). His awards include Gold Medal of Segovia (1969), Gold Medal of Ávila, (1981), Adopted Son of Ávila (1981), Gold Medal of Madrid (1995), Prince of Asturias Concord Award (1996), Gold Medal of Castilla y León (1997), Coexistence Award of Ceuta (1999), and the Medal of Honor of Madrid (2011).