“Corruption is absolutely endemic and generalised. Use of public funds for private interests is systematic. …..In recent years scandal has followed upon scandal. Many never come to court, or if they do they are set aside.”
Spain? No. The above is a translation of the opening words of a report on Portugal, published in a Spanish newspaper just six months ago, but could apply almost word for word to what is seen to be the problem of corruption in the Spanish political system today.
Last week’s regional and municipal elections results appear to have set in motion a process for Spain to avoid a similar epitaph. The turnout nationally was 64.9%, just over 1% more than the figures for the 2011. The governing party at both state and regional level, the Partido Popular (PP) and the major opposition party, the Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) lost millions of votes: 2.5 million lost by the PP and nearly 1 million by the PSOE: the two party system not demolished but clearly shaken. For the first time in the history of the modern democracy in Spain the two traditional parties, drenched in accusations of corruption, between them received only 51% of the total vote, and absolute PP majorities were blown out of the water in nearly all regional governments. In the major cities new parties took a crucial percentage of the vote. Given a greater choice than ever before, the electorate opted to spread their votes; the new focus, predicted by the polls, on who pacts with whom and dubbed “el Juego de Pactos” (to Pact or not to Pact), is now in full swing.
It is not the first time the Spanish have kicked against a Government for its illegal use of power and public funds. In 1996, after 14 years of uninterrupted control of the Government, the PSOE went down in elections dominated by accusations of corruption, illegal and secret manoeuvres against the opposition in the midst of an economic crisis. The only viable alternative available was the right-wing PP who won both the 1996 and 2000 elections, staying in government for 8 years. The PSOE were back in 2004 for another 8 years, until late 2011 establishing a pattern of bi-partisan government for Spain
