AbstractS&T were low priorities in Spain until the mid-70s. The socialist government, aided by S&T policies elsewhere and the emerging policy entrepreneurs, made reforms to better co-ordinate public S&T. Institutional weaknesses were an obstacle, initially masked by strong leadership, policy entrepreneurs, reduced bureaucratic powers, and poor representation of some groups.Now, most mechanisms of public S&T coordination have gone, with changes in the Interministerial Commission (CICYT) and elsewhere. Power has returned to the departmental bureaucracies, and again science has low status.Restricted access to policy making, weak leadership, financial constraints, and emphasis on the private sector, are all reducing the stability of Spain's S&T system.