​​​​​LONDON

The Spanish government has asked a court to dissolve the Francisco Franco National Foundation (FNFF), accusing it of glorifying Francisco Franco, the authoritarian leader who ruled from 1939 to 1975, media reports said Friday.

The FNFF, which was created in 1976 and devoted to promoting the legacy of the Spanish dictator, has been notified that the government has asked a court to disband the group.

According to a report by Spanish broadcaster RTVE, FNFF was given 10 days to respond as the government is acting on the basis of the Foundations Law and the Democratic Memory Law, and has concluded that its activities "glorify Francoism, humiliate victims, and do not pursue aims of general interest."

A report by the Culture Ministry found that the Foundation’s communications present an "unequivocally positive view" of Francoism and show "disdain and humiliation" toward victims of the 1936 coup and ensuing dictatorship.

Analyzing the "approximately 5,500 texts" on the foundation's website, the ministry found that its main activity is "to provide an unequivocally positive view of Francoism."

There is "solid evidence" that the foundation breaches the law, which bans the exaltation of Franco’s regime, Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun was quoted by the broadcaster.

It came after Spain’s lower house of parliament passed legislation last year aimed at disbanding organizations, including the FNFF.

Also, a petition was signed by 200,000 people in 2017, urging the government to ban the FNFF.

Separately, the Foundation collected a petition with 24,000 signatures to oppose the proposal by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who promised that Franco's remains would be removed from the Valley of the Fallen in 2018.

The former Spanish dictator died Nov. 20, 1975, after 36 years in power.