If politics and soccer are anything alike, it is that both hobbies, because few dedicate themselves professionally to one or the other guild, bring out the worst in citizens on social networks. Regarding the king of sports, Twitter has been flooding, until this Sunday when the national competition has ended, with controversial images. Penalties not called or requests for red cards that do not come out of the referee’s pocket have been common in a turbulent season. There have also been accusations of referees bought but, deep down, the fan considers that they are isolated events and continues to go to their stadium every weekend or pay for their soccer television channel. There is a majority belief in the system.
Something similar happens with politics. Social networks draw the bile from tweeters when, for example, the future mayoress of Valencia, MarÃa José Catalá, announces this week that she has been her mother and presents her son Francesc de ella. “Francisco, paleta”, an anonymous blurted out. The problem comes when the political system is questioned from an influential group and practically everything begins to be questioned.
Two events have happened these days in the networks that should set off the alarms and, even if it is not going to happen, make their promoters rectify. One was the accusation of electoral fraud launched by some conservative sectors on the occasion of the last appointment with the polls. In the closing ceremony of the last campaign, the Madrid president, DÃaz Ayuso, came to say about Sánchez: “He will leave as he arrived, with an attempted pucherazo.” The unfortunate news about fraudulent voting by mail was the breeding ground for this dangerous speech.
The second fact refers to the holding of general elections on July 23, in the middle of summer and, in addition, the Santiago weekend. It also circulated that the current government was trying to commit an alleged “fraud” for the chosen date. Yes, it is true that there is a health risk, mainly for the older members of the polling stations and in the areas with the highest temperatures; but from there to talking about an attempt at electoral rigging there is a line that it would be better not to cross.
Both are dangerous statements for confidence in the democratic system. Doubting it poses a real risk: it generates anti-systems. The political scientist Lluis Orriols said yesterday in these pages that “dark times are coming, times of confrontation.” Therefore, light and clarity are needed. And not muddy the field anymore.
