▁the ▁province , ▁promoted ▁by ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Econom y . ▁ ▁D ign it ary ▁As ▁Minister ▁of ▁Justice ▁and ▁the ▁regime ' s ▁top ▁lawyer ▁Bil ba o ▁gave ▁shape ▁to ▁Ley ▁Const itut iva ▁de ▁las ▁Cort es ▁( 1 9 4 2 ) ▁and ▁according ▁to ▁it ▁he ▁was ▁doub ly ▁entitled ▁– ▁as ▁member ▁of ▁Conse jo ▁Nacional ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁minister ▁– ▁to ▁enter ▁the ▁Franco ist ▁quasi - par liament ▁when ▁it ▁first ▁assemble d ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 3 . ▁As ▁part ▁of ▁his ▁bal ancing ▁game , ▁intended ▁to ▁keep ▁different ▁political ▁group ings ▁in ▁check , ▁Franco ▁awarded ▁the ▁speaker ▁role ▁to ▁the ▁Car lists ▁and ▁hand p icked ▁Bil ba o ▁for ▁the ▁post . ▁He ▁retained ▁the ▁position ▁during ▁ 2 2 ▁years ▁and ▁ 8 ▁success ive ▁turns , ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁ 1 9 5 2 , ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁ 1 9 5 8 , ▁ 1 9 6 1 ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁until ▁he ▁res igned ▁due ▁to ▁his ▁age ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 5 ; ▁during ▁his ▁ten ure ▁there ▁were ▁some ▁ 4 , 0 0 0 ▁laws ▁adopted . ▁As ▁Presidente ▁de ▁las ▁Cort es ▁Bil ba o ▁enjoyed ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁pr estig ious ▁and ▁distinguished ▁positions ▁in ▁the ▁Franco ist ▁Spain , ▁though ▁there ▁was ▁very ▁little ▁if ▁any ▁political ▁power ▁attached