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Spanish want more democracy, not just jobs

Spanish want more democracy, not just jobs

Imagine if tens of thousands of young Americans marched on The Mall to protest the Electoral College, the appointment of Supreme Court justices and the two-party system because they suddenly decided these institutions were not democratic enough.

Something roughly equivalent to that is now taking place in Spain. While the country’s unemployment rate and general economic malaise have gotten the most attention, it is in fact Spain’s democratic system that the majority of Spanish who have taken to streets are seeking to overthrow. The protesters have decided that Spain is “not a real democracy,” as this website asserts, and are demanding sweeping changes in the electoral system to bring about more direct participation. Hence the argument by many Spaniards that the protest movement is a continuation of the demonstrations in the Middle East: There is more going on here than venting frustration at moving back in with mom and dad…

The democratic deficit at issue falls into three main categories. First is the surfeit of appointed officials. As in the U.S., Spain’s Supreme Court justices are chosen by the sitting president. The protesters have decreed that this has left the court ruled by Socialists and Conservatives rather than an independent-minded judiciary. Important ministerial positions are also decreed by appointment. While the justices must be approved by parliament, many high-level posts do not.

Next is the weakness of smaller parties and independent-minded representatives. Spain operates under a closed-list parliamentary system, meaning it must vote for a political party that then chooses who it will nominate. In theory, voters can also choose their candidates at party congresses. But the protesters say this too takes power out of the peoples’ hands, since party bosses nominate the candidates they must choose from at the congresses. Contrast this with the U.S., where state administrators run party primaries. Finally, because most elected officials must pay their dues in a political party, it is rare for them to vote their minds instead of the party line once in office.

The country’s apportionment system is also being taken to task. Spain operates under the d’Hondt system, a common form of dividing up seats that favors larger parties and coalitions while freezing out smaller parties. Here is a nice illustration of the effect of this system, where representation does not reflect true vote totals.

Spanish want more democracy, not just jobs

Finally, and most troublingly for a Western democracy, the country’s justice department currently has 730 open investigations for corruption — 264 against the Socialists, 200 against Conservatives and 35 for smaller parties.

Spain’s unemployment problems have persisted for several years, so why that has been the focus of most coverage of the protests is odd. Rather, something more profound is at stake. The reason why many Spanish boycotted its most recent election was not only because of frustration with the ruling Socialists. It was also an expression of disenfranchisement — a gesture that the current democratic scheme will not suffice.