The street as a trench

OF HUNGRY

Still accustomed as we are to swimming in the comfortable margins of bubble-publics, it is surprising to see party supporters boo a journalist.

Even more so when it complies with the general interest entrusted by democracy: the scrutiny and control of power for very serious cases of corruption.

But our militant tribalism has again led a political force to use its followers to reinforce the silence of the leader at a press conference, and even to have him stir up those passions instead of containing them and allowing the journalist to do her job.

We are not talking about Trump here: it happened in Ceuta with Pablo Casado.

The problem, again, is the allergy of power to everything that smells of the common good, to places of exchange and transaction. They are the natural sites of the institutions, since their impartiality allows the construction of a playground that exposes us all to uncomfortable questions and forces us to argue with reasons, to listen to unexpected points of view. What happened in Ceuta is another example of the institutional deterioration that the country is experiencing. The most worrying thing is the emptying of Parliament, the institution par excellence, the one that deliberates to define a common project. Instead of taking the discussion on pardons there, our rights prefer, once again, to take it to the streets to insist on a monologue that risks nothing. The street is just a trench that reinforces his claims: watch out, Spain is breaking. In the meantime,the institutions that should function as the architecture of the common are losing ground.

It has been seen in the pandemic, with the strengthening of the executive branch and the government by decree. Surprisingly, the Courts have not addressed the problem of the self-exiled King either (what happened to the new Crown Law?). And we have seen it in a TC that has not yet resolved the unconstitutionality appeal of the first state of alarm. An institution that does not pronounce on something so relevant in time is no longer a political subject. It also happens with the refusal of the PP, so unconstitutional, to renew the positions of the CGPJ. Thus, it is normal that the “public utility” motives for pardons seem like science fiction. Not even thinking about the international arena, where, while waiting for Strasbourg, forgiveness would dismantle the victimizing argument of independence, perhaps reinforcing the position of the State.A healthy democracy does not feel threatened by a pardon, because power is magnanimous. The strongest State is the one that is capable of condemning, ensuring that the law is complied with and pardoning, if it considers it so, thinking of the general interest and coexistence. Of course, you can think otherwise, but the comfortable thing is to immobilize your position on the street and lock the citizens in a passive situation. And incidentally, put another granite more in the devitalization of our political life.but the comfortable thing is to immobilize your position in the street and lock the citizens in a passive situation. And incidentally, put another granite more in the devitalization of our political life.but the comfortable thing is to immobilize your position in the street and lock the citizens in a passive situation. And incidentally, put another granite more in the devitalization of our political life.