Why was the defeat at Annual important in Spanish politics?

The defeat at the Battle of Annual in 1921 was a pivotal event in Spanish politics, serving as a catalyst for the collapse of the parliamentary system. The disaster, which resulted in the loss of thousands of Spanish troops and significant territory in Morocco, triggered widespread public outrage and disbelief.123

The political consequences were profound:

• Accountability and Crisis: The issue of military and political responsibility became a central theme in Spanish politics for years. A commission led by Gen. Juan Picasso González was established to investigate the debacle, and its report, the Expediente Picasso, was highly critical of the military’s leadership, logistics, and equipment.2
• Threat to the Monarchy: Opposition politicians were determined to use the report to criticize the army and expose the role of King Alfonso XIII, who was reputedly a backer of the ill-fated military decisions.1
• Rise of Dictatorship: Fearing that a parliamentary committee would blame him for the disaster, the King tacitly supported a coup d’état by Gen. Miguel Primo de Rivera in September 1923, which toppled the parliamentary government and established a dictatorship.431