To say something of some interest about an election held a week ago is a vain pretence. Therefore, I only intend to reflect on the attitude with which the election result should be accepted. And, for this reason, I start from the political situation in which Spain currently finds itself. It has been rightly said (José Antonio Zarzalejos quoting the political scientist Ángel Rivero) that “the transition (is) a world that has faded”, so it is urgent to consolidate, among others, the values ??of unity , solidarity and the effectiveness of freedoms and rights. And to undertake this task, the extinct transition has bequeathed us a law and institutions. The law is the Constitution and, among the institutions, there is the monarchy. It is the only one that remains, because its spirit was lost a long time ago due to the encroachment of some and the vindictiveness of others.
In my opinion, the result of the recent Catalan elections must be faced on this basis. With a strong abstention and the loss to the separatists of the majority they have enjoyed until now, the clear triumph of the PSC and its leader, Salvador Illa, stands out. His personal merit cannot be overshadowed by what is attributed to the “policy of appeasement” of President Pedro Sánchez, which, along with resounding applause, has also provoked bitter criticism.
Salvador Illa is a skilled politician, with a proven track record of work, which has now reaped its rewards, by being contrasted with the radical and frontist nature of some of his contenders. However, the electoral result says that Illa could only form a left-wing majority with Esquerra and the commons, which is impossible today because the current state of ERC after a huge defeat prevents it. Likewise, any other coalition to achieve the investiture in the first round is unthinkable. Therefore, everything is then limited to the fact that Illa obtains a simple majority in the second round, which is feasible although not easy.
This situation has become even more complicated with a threat that is as predictable as it is rejectable. I find the best summary of this threat in a message received from a Mallorcan friend. It says like this: “Hello, Juanjo. A question: do you think Sánchez will be able to sacrifice Salvador Illa to retain support for Puigdemont’s Madrid?” This question responds to the information that appeared in some media indicating that the Junts leader is redoubling the pressure on Sánchez, to whom he warns that he will not accept a PSC pact with the PP, and that he is planning a “sovereignist, Catalan obedience” government with the support of Esquerra and the CUP and the abstention of the PSC. Clearer than water: I vote for you in Madrid and you leave me a free field in Barcelona.
At the outset I take it for granted that the PSC has enough dignity and self-respect not to accept such abject vexation as that demanded by Puigdemont, who makes the mistake of judging others with his particular scale of values. And I also don’t think it’s possible for President Sánchez to commit such a cowardly, sneaky and stupid act of cowardice. But, despite this, it is worth bearing in mind:
1) That Spain today runs a serious risk of entering a deep crisis, which erodes the validity of the 1978 Constitution, conditions the normal exercise of the institutions and puts the monarchy in danger.
2) That in this situation, all the parties that want to defend the current regime of rights and freedoms must make common cause against the parties that want to destroy it in the name of a separate national project of their own.
3) That, therefore, there are no walls, since all parties are called equally for this purpose, regardless of the program they defend, as long as it fits within the Constitution.
That is why I consider that the PP should take the first step, committing to support Illa’s investiture without the need for any prior agreement and in the name of the general interest. Someone has to take the first step to overcome the wall and thus defend themselves against a common enemy. This is the attitude required of a party with a sense of State.
