Trust in political parties is just 8% in Spain. As Spaniards look back over 44 years of democracy, they wonder what went wrong, even as average incomes doubled, social freedoms blossomed and the country joined the European mainstream
Save time by listening to our audio articles as you multitaskFine weather, liveable cities and strong bonds among friends and family make for a happy day-to-day life. On one score, though, Spain is one of the worst performers in Europe: trust in political parties is just 8%, and in governments 22%, againstaverages of 18% and 37% respectively.
An answer lies in politics. From 1982 until recently Spain had single-party governments, of the centre-left Socialists or centre-right People’s Party went into exile. Mr Sánchez pardoned those nine in 2021. His government had long hinted that it would also reform the sedition law, in place since 1822, saying that it was out of step with European norms.
Another high-voltage row has broken out over the reform of the law on sexual consent, known as the “only yes is yes” law. It was the brainchild of Irene Montero, the equality minister, who hails from Podemos. Passed in August, it was advertised as requiring clearly expressed consent to sex by both parties. But since the law came into force, those found guilty of sex crimes have in fact seen sentences reduced due to the reorganisation of the categories of offence.
Commentators have long spoken of “the two Spains”, destined to be forever at odds. This hostility is hardly visible on Spain’s streets, warm in temperature and in spirit. But it poisons Spanish politics, ever more so where parties at the extremes so often set the tone.This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline"Unreasonably blue"
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