Democracy Cracks

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Clarissa

September 30, 2017

I can’t believe Spain’s democracy is collapsing again. I was so sure this time it would stick. Everybody was sure. But soon after the doubts appeared as to whether it had been done right back in 1978, the whole thing began to crumble. Last year, there was a whole stretch of time, almost 10 months, when no government could be elected. And now this whole sorry debacle with Catalonia.

One can blame Catalonians, one can blame the PP government, one can easily blame them all. But the larger reason is that it’s simply a young, weak democracy that’s collapsing under the pressure that all democracies are feeling right now.

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10 responses to “Democracy Cracks”

lucy

September 30, 2017

Argh! Don’t get me started with this! The only thing that saves Spain (for now) is being part of the EU. I just hope the government wouldn`t rely on it so strongly…there is a Constitution and law they can enforce. Why are they so scared of doing it?

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1. cliff arroyo
  
  September 30, 2017
  
  “there is a Constitution and law they can enforce”
  
  This is not emphasized nearly enough. Catalonia approved a constitution under whose terms this misbegotten ‘referendum’ is completely illegal.
  
  What’s just as important as ‘democracy’ the rule of law which means you follow it even when it’s not super convenient, but a bunch of Catalan infants find it a little inconvenient and are having tantrums.
  
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  1. David Gendron
    
    September 30, 2017
    
    In Canada, they would never outlawed that kind of referendum. This is a big mistake by Rajoy, who help a lot the Catalonia independentists.
    
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    1. cliff arroyo
      
      September 30, 2017
      
      “In Canada, they would never outlawed that kind of referendum”
      
      It’s not Rajoy outlawing it, it’s the constitution (again approved by 95% of Catalan voters at the time). No government could realistically allow the referendum to go forward.
      
      The only real hope is that the EU makes it clear that an independent Catalonia would be immediately expelled by the EU (in accordance with the rule of EU law).
      
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      1. David Gendron
        
        September 30, 2017
        
        Of course, Catalonia should not be in the EU.
        
        Even though it’s illegal, Rajoy should tolerate this to not fuel anymore the independentist movement.
        
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      2. David Gendron
        
        September 30, 2017
        
        Fair enough, Québec is not longer approving the Canadian Constitution since 1981.
        
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      3. David Gendron
        
        September 30, 2017
        
        Any regional parliament in Canada can revoke its approbation to the Canadian Consitution.
        
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    2. Clarissa
      
      September 30, 2017
      
      These comparisons simply don’t work. Spain has a Constitution that was won after a civil war and a 36-year-long dictatorship. It’s not Rajoy that outlaws anything. The Constitution – which is the entire foundation of the current order – doesn’t allow for this referendum.
      
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      1. David Gendron
        
        September 30, 2017
        
        But Rajoy should tolerate this because in not doing so, he fuels the independentist movement.
        
        You don’t battle against fascism with fascism.
        
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David Gendron

September 30, 2017

Rajoy should ask Jean Chrétien, former Prime Sinister of Cacanada, about how to dismantle an independentist movement.

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