There was
an interesting programme on Spanish TV on Monday night. Three journalists, from leading
newspapers in France, Germany and the United States, were discussing the
current political climate in Spain.
All three of them pointed out one aspect
which particularly surprised them. After years of austerity and cuts in social
spending, to date no right wing xenophobic party has emerged (unlike in France,
Greece, UK…).
That this should catch their attention
shows how little they understand the Spanish electorate.
The party in power, Partido Poular, is
right wing enough for most Spaniards, nostalgic as it is for other, now
discredited regimes. It embraces not only the moderate right, but also the far
right, those who would happily bring back authoritarianism and recreate a centralised,
Catholic nation. So there is no need for another, extreme right wing party, as the
poor response to Vox has so clearly underlined.
But more than that, the fact that Spanish
politicians have under achieved does not mean that the Spanish electorate is
undemocratic or tired of the format. The famous Transition was left unfinished,
that is undeniable now. Perhaps the politicians believed that with left
wing/right wing rotation real democracy would be achieved. Unfortunately they
now realise it takes a lot more than that. Eradicating corruption is only
possible with stricter control, and that means breaking down the oligarchies
and corporate interests that riddle the Spanish state.
The irruption of alternative parties such
as Podemos or Cuidadnos proves that the voter is mature, unafraid to do away
with bipartisanship if necessary and embrace alternative politics.
There is a desire to have a modern, truly democratic
state, honest and efficient. Because
democracy is not about political leanings, but about how a government can best
serve its people.
It would be simpler to blame immigrants for the current situation, but it would not ring true. The problem with Spain lies in its political leaders. So they will be changed.
