Order of Civil Merit

The Royal Order of Civil Merit (Real Orden del Mérito Civil) is a knighthood and one of the three preeminent orders of merit bestowed by the Kingdom of Spain, alongside the Order of Charles III (established in 1771) and the Order of Isabella the Catholic (established in 1815). Each of the three orders aims to reward a distinct type of achievement without one outranking the others, although they are sometimes sorted by their year of inception. The Order of Charles III primarily honors heads of state and high-ranking government officials, while the Order of Isabella the Catholic primarily rewards services that strengthen diplomatic relations across the former Spanish Empire. In contrast, the Order of Civil Merit was created by King Alfonso XIII of Spain in 1926 to recognize "the civic virtues of the officials in the service of the State, as well as the extraordinary services of Spanish and foreign citizens for the good of the Nation." It was, therefore, founded as a modern order of merit, dedicated to acknowledging exceptional deeds for the benefit of civil society.

Today, the Order is regulated by Royal Decree 2396/1998, of November 6, 1998. In accordance with this law, the Order seeks to “reward merits of a civil nature, acquired by officers of any of the public Administrations [...], or by persons outside the Administration, who provide or have provided relevant services to the State, with extraordinary work, charitable initiatives, or with exemplary perseverance in the fulfillment of their duties." The Order "may also be granted to people of foreign nationality, provided that they have provided distinguished services to Spain or notable collaboration in all matters that benefit the Nation.”

The great prestige that the Order of Civil Merit enjoys in Spain and abroad is due to several reasons. First, like the Order of Isabella the Catholic, it has become a powerful instrument of international relations, with awardees inducted from all over the world. Second, it is a highly selective and rare honour – since its creation, a relatively small number of people worldwide have received the Order of Civil Merit, compared to similar national Orders of Merit, such as UK's Order of the British Empire, France's Legion of Honour, or Germany's Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.

History
The Royal Order of Civil Merit was instituted by His Majesty King Alfonso XIII, by Royal Decree of June 25, 1926, at the proposal of the President of the Council of Ministers, General Miguel Primo de Rivera (1870-1930); its first Regulations were published on May 25 of the following year.

This Order was created to reward the civic virtues of civil servants serving the State, Province, or Municipality, as well as the extraordinary services performed by Spanish citizens for the benefit of the Nation. It could also be awarded to foreign citizens out of courtesy or reciprocity.

From its inception, it has been a highly coveted honor, bestowed upon a selective number of recipients in each category:


 * Grand Cross, limited to 250 living members
 * Commander by Number, limited to 350 living members
 * Commander, limited to 500 living members
 * Knight, limited to 1,000 living members
 * Silver Cross, without limit

Entry into the Order was granted by the King, at the proposal of the Minister of State, requiring the agreement of the Council of Ministers when it came to the awarding of the Grand Cross. In all cases, a file was drawn up demonstrating the justification for the reward, and the appointments and diplomas were issued by the Chancellery and Orders Section of the Ministry of State.

The provisional government of the Republic, by Decree of July 24, 1931, abolished this and the other Orders dependent on the Ministry of State, except for the Order of Isabella the Catholic, and sought to replace them with the creation of the Order of the Republic.

After that interregnum, by Decree of November 7, 1942, the Order of Civil Merit was reinstated, with its previous characteristics, privileges, and seniority, with the following categories: Grand Cross, Band (designation of the Grand Cross when awarded to women), Commander by Number, Commander, Officer, Knight, Ribbon (designation of the Knight's degree when awarded to women), and Silver Cross. Its Regulations were approved by Decree of February 3, 1945.

Subsequently, by Decree of July 26, 1957, the category of Knight of the Collar was established in the Order of Civil Merit as the highest distinction of the Order. This high grade is reserved for decorating Sovereigns and Heads of State and, exceptionally, those of significant standing who already hold the Grand Cross of the Order.

The significant changes experienced since that date, both in the social and political reality of Spain and in the legal-administrative order, have advised updating the governing rules of the Order, respecting the spirit that animated its creation and preserving its seniority and its order of precedence among the other Spanish Orders.

Thus, by Royal Decree 2396/1998, of November 6, published in the BOE 279, of November 21, and subsequent correction of errors published in the BOE 40, of February 16, 1999, the new Regulations of the Order have been approved, gathering in a single normative text all the previously scattered provisions.

Among the most notable novelties of the new Regulations, the suppression of the denominations of the degrees of Lady's Band, Knight's Cross, and Lady's Ribbon can be mentioned, integrating the first into the Grand Cross, and creating the grade of Cross, which would include the other two, to avoid possible interpretations that could consider that maintaining these denominations could imply some type of gender discrimination.

Additionally, decorated ladies are allowed, for aesthetic and functional reasons (given the characteristics of their gala attire), to use a reduced version of the insignia and to wear them differently from men, as specified for each grade in the new Regulations.

Furthermore, two new types of insignia are regulated, in the grade of Encomienda, to grant distinctions to legal entities: the Tie, intended for institutions that have recognized the use of flags or similar emblems, and the Honor Plaque for institutions that do not possess such emblems.

Lastly, to enhance the prestige of the distinctions of this Order and ensure that each is duly justified, the current Regulations introduce a detailed exposition of the merits to be considered for its award, the formal requirements that the admission and promotion proposals in the Order must meet, indicating the authorities authorized to make them, and the informational procedures that can be instructed to determine the appropriateness of the award.

Governance
By law, His Majesty King Felipe VI is the Grand Master of the Order of Civil Merit and hence, and all the decorations of this Order are conferred in his name.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation is the Grand Chancellor of the Order, and it falls to him/her to propose to the Council of Ministers the award of the levels of the Collar and of the Grand Cross, and to award, on behalf of His Majesty the King, the lower levels of the Order. The Minister is also responsible for the protocol of the Order.

As in the case of the Order of Isabella the Catholic, the Under-secretary for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation is the Chancellor of the Order of Civil Merit, but it corresponds to the Directorate-General for Protocol, Chancellery and Orders to evaluate all the proposed awards of the decorations of this Order, requesting the mandatory reports and evaluating the suitability or not of accepting these proposals.

Recognized Merits and Awarding Process
In accordance with the law, the following merits will be taken into account for the awarding of decorations of this Order:


 * 1) The provision of outstanding services of a civil nature to the State.
 * 2) The performance of extraordinary works of undeniable merit.
 * 3) Industriousness or extraordinary ability, demonstrated for the good of the general interest.
 * 4) Great initiatives of national influence and, in general, exemplary acts that, benefiting the country, should be rewarded and encouraged.

In order to enhance the prestige of the awards of this Order, so that admission and promotion within it truly constitute an extraordinary occasion that rewards the indicated merits, the Chancellery of the Order will ensure that each award is duly justified.

The Chancellery of the Order, located in the Directorate General of Protocol, Chancellery, and Orders of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will be responsible for processing all proposals for the awarding of decorations of the said Order, for which purpose it will conduct the appropriate procedures, being empowered to request reports from all kinds of courts, authorities, official centers, and entities that it deems convenient, in order to determine the appropriateness or otherwise of the granting.

Furthermore, the Chancellery will report on the appropriate grade, evaluating the importance of the merits acquired, the professional category and seniority of the proposed person, the age, and the decorations they may possess; it will submit a resolution proposal to the Minister of Foreign Affairs through the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, Chancellor of the Order, and proceed with the issuance of the titles of the granted decorations.

Grades
The Order of Civil Merit comes in seven classes as follows: By Royal Decree 2396/1998, the former rank of Knight’s Cross (Caballero) was renamed as 'Cross' to accommodate female recipients. Accordingly, all ranks above the Silver Cross confer knighthood or damehood. For example, the recipient of a Collar is styled Knight or Dame of the Collar; the recipient of an Officer’s Cross is styled Knight or Dame Officer, etc. (cf. Article 13).
 * Collar (Collar) - Order's Collar.
 * Grand Cross (Gran Cruz) - Sash and Plaque (Golden Order's Star).
 * Commander by Number (Encomienda de Número) - Plaque (Silver Order's Star).
 * Commander (Encomienda) - Golden order's star on a necklet.
 * Officer's Cross (Cruz de Oficial) - Golden order's cross hanging from a ribbon.
 * Cross (Cruz) - Silver order's cross hanging from a ribbon.
 * Silver Cross (Cruz de Plata) - Simpler silver cross hanging from a ribbon.

Insignia, Motif and Meaning
The Cross of the Order is made of gold, with dimensions 48 x 50 mm. It is formed by four equal arms, in the shape of a cross, enamelled in intense blue, and finally edged in white. Between these arms it carries five polished bursts of the same metal. In its center, it has an oval of intense blue enamel, bordered with white fillet, with the gold-colored inscription "To Civil Merit". Inside the oval, there is a die-cut in high relief, with the characteristic motif of the Order: a matron leaning on a column, with a sword in its right hand, tempered in the fire of sacrifice, as a symbol of civic virtues. Between the upper ends of the blades, it appears the Royal Crown of Spain. The entire set hangs from a green enamelled laurel wreath.

The ribbon of the order is blue with a narrow white centre stripe, except for the ribbon of "Collar", which is blue with 2 white stripes on the edges.

The elements in the motif of the Order have the following meaning:


 * Matron: Represents honour, dignity, maturity, wisdom, and nurturing qualities
 * Leaning on a Column: Symbolizes stability, support, strength, and the pillar upon which society stands
 * Sword in Right Hand: Represents justice, protection, and readiness to defend
 * Tempered in the Fire of Sacrifice: Signifies purification, strength gained through hardship, tested loyalty, and dedication

Overall, this motif embodies the ideals of civic and chivalric virtues such as justice, strength, stability, and dedication to the common good.

Notable Knights and Dames of the Collar or Grand Cross
The Collar and Grand Cross of the Order have been awarded to royalty, heads of state and their spouses, and diplomats, including:

Heads of State

 * 2023: João Lourenço and Ana Dias Lourenço, president and first lady of the Angola
 * 2021: Moon Jae-in and Kim Jung-sook, president and first lady of the Republic of Korea
 * 2012: Felipe Calderón Hinojosa, president of Mexico
 * 2009: Sir Kenneth Hall and Lady Rheima Hall, governor-general and first lady of Jamaica
 * 2010: Petro Poroshenko, president of Ukraine (then minister of foreign affairs)
 * 2008: Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president of the United Arab Emirates
 * 2007: Roh Moo-hyun and Kwon Yang-suk, president and first lady of the Republic of Korea
 * 2003: Georgi Parvanov and Zorka Parvanova, president and first lady of Bulgaria
 * 2003: Ion Iliescu, president of Romania
 * 2003: Islom Karimov, president of Uzbekistan
 * 2002: Abdelaziz Bouteflika, president of Algeria
 * 1999: Petar Stoyanov and Antonina Stoyanova, president and first lady of Bulgaria
 * 1996: Leonid Kuchma and Lyudmila Kuchma, president and first lady of Ukraine
 * 1994: Fidel V. Ramos and Amelita Ramos, president and first lady of the Philippines
 * 1993: Zhelyu Zhelev and Maria Zheleva, president and first lady of Bulgaria
 * 1994: Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya and Aïcha Mint Ahmed Tolba, president and first lady of Mauritania
 * 1988: Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie, president of Indonesia
 * 1979: Félix Houphouët-Boigny, president of Côte d'Ivoire
 * 1978: Saddam Hussein, then vice president of Iraq
 * 1968: Habib Bourguiba and Wassila Ben Ammar, president and first lady of Tunisia
 * 1965: Chiang Kai-shek, president of the Republic of China
 * 1957: Camille Chamoun, president of Lebanon

Foreign Royalty

 * 2023: Prince Joachim of Denmark
 * 2023: Princess Marie of Denmark
 * 2021: Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland of Sweden
 * 2021: Princess Sofia, Duchess of Värmland of Sweden
 * 2021: Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland of Sweden
 * 2008: H.H.E. Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah of Kuwait
 * 2008: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed of Abu Dhabi (later President of the UAE)
 * 2006: Princess Märtha Louise of Norway
 * 2000: King Mohammed VI of Morocco
 * 2000: Princess Astrid of Belgium
 * 2000: Prince Lorenz of Belgium
 * 2000: Prince Laurent of Belgium
 * 1999: Princess Alia and husband Mohammad Al-Saleh of Jordan
 * 1995: King Ja'afar Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia
 * 1995: Queen Najihah Raja Permaisuri Agong of Malaysia
 * 1966: King Faisal of Saudi Arabia
 * 1962: King Saud of Saudi Arabia
 * 1960: King Rama IX of Thailand
 * 1955: Princess Dina of Jordan (later Queen of Jordan)

Others

 * 2018: 🇧🇩 Monirul Islam
 * 2017: State Minister Nasrul Hamid of Bangladesh
 * 2017: Ignacio Echeverría, hero
 * 2015: 🇮🇳 Sushma Swaraj minister of External Affairs of India
 * 2015: Mohamed Salem Ould Béchir interior minister of Mauritania
 * 2013: Fadi Al-Atrash Joumblatt, musician
 * 2009: Amancio Ortega, founder of multinational fashion company Zara
 * 2007: Miriam Defensor Santiago
 * 2005: Abderrahim Harouchi
 * 1995: Mahathir Mohamad, prime minister of Malaysia
 * 1982: Germán Arciniegas
 * 1973: Ricardo Armando Novoa Arciniegas
 * 1968: Habib Bourguiba Jr., minister of foreign affairs of Tunisia
 * 1948: 🇺🇸 J. Hunter Guthrie

Rescission of Distinctions
The person decorated with any grade of the Order of Civil Merit who is convicted of a criminal act, by virtue of a final sentence, may be deprived of the title and the privileges and honors inherent to their status. To this end, the Chancellery of the Order may initiate the corresponding informative procedure, in which the interested party will be given a hearing. The removal will be agreed upon by the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the grades of Commander by Number, Commander, Officer's Cross, Cross, and Silver Cross, and by the Council of Ministers for the grades of Collar and Grand Cross.