MORE THAN JUST FOUR VOTES

Prensa Ibérica

Political Spain, entrenched in confrontation, is unsettling. It seems as if stranded; as if it remained imperturbable in the face of its endemic ills; machadianly machadian, zaragatera and sad. And all this, more than to the decisions of the citizens, democratic, in accordance with the law and free, is due to the incomprehension of some political forces that in appearance and in practice are incapable of reading with a certain sense the decision expressed by the people at the polls: no to personalist and hegemonic mandates; consensus on the essentials; State policies within the constitutional framework and, if necessary, that it be done with courage, transparency and legality, in the spirit of the Transition.

On June 23rd, the ballots were overwhelmingly in favor of the defense of general interests, respect for the division of powers, and a single administrative management model adapted to the economic, social and territorial reality.

Citizens have spoken and have demanded a timely response to the new global geopolitical scenario, to this polycrisis determined by various factors of financial or environmental instability, subject to climate change, the water or raw materials crisis, hackers, illegal immigration, lack of skilled labor, the emergence of vulture funds, or the proliferation of mafias, corrupt, terrorists or dictators ….

The very exercise of democracy implicitly expresses options such as peace and security; coexistence; respect for human rights; respect for international agreements; aid to developing countries; promotion of culture and sports; regulation of digitalization; equality and respect for others. All these issues are committed to in the electoral programs of all parties, without exception. There is no room for other approaches, neither populist, nor extremist, nor half-pensionist.

Critical problems and conflicts are not associated with a single threat and are global. The French philosopher and sociologist Edgar Morin warned almost 25 years ago: crises are intertwined and overlapping, they do not necessarily admit a single response, on the contrary, they require many urgent and sometimes changing resolutions, especially in times of hasty, profound and confusing transformations and alterations, to which must be added the persistence of nuclear risks or the irruption of natural catastrophes, always unpredictable and overcoming.

In our country, Alberto Núñez Feijoo and Pedro Sánchez have the obligation to lead the response to the people’s mandate. It is not a question of entelechies, of hypocrisies, of take off you to put on me, of Genova or Ferraz, not even of ideologies. There seems to be no empathy between them, they have made many mistakes in their relations, but they have been the chosen ones and they must know how to forgive and yield in order to find the keys that will allow them to initiate a process of convergence and interaction of the democratic right and left at the service of Spain, at the height of the times.

It takes more than four votes, more than a sufficient majority, more than frankenstein agreements. It is necessary to agree, give in and change the Electoral Law and, if necessary, the Constitution. Indefinite repetition of elections must be avoided. It is necessary to achieve a respectable and efficient government. It is necessary to have the right spirit, talent and the consensus of the democratic parties. The rest will be compromises and using the State for their particular interests. Okay.

Alberto Barciela is a journalist and vice-president of the Association of Media Editors of the European Union and Latin America, EditoRed.