Democratic Disconnect in Spain

In the States we are used to a specific form of democracy. We elect officials to represent, and this is a key word, our hometown and its surrounding area, our state, and our nation. In doing this we expect certain things from the elected official depending on what he/she represents (and I’m only going to talk about the federal system here, not local or state).

From local, or district representatives, we expect a push of our agenda, or our issues, at the national level. We expect these representatives to think primarily in local terms, as in what is best for the community represented, and not in state or national terms. We expect state Senators to do much the same thing, albeit on a bit wider level. We expect these Senators to weigh in on issues in a manner in accordance with the thinking of the majority of the state’s citizens. It is only the national representatives, i.e. the President/Vice President and the appointments they make, that we expect to think in primarily national terms. Yes, we want our district representatives and senators to weigh in on national issues, but we want them to do so keeping their base in mind.

This is, in my opinion, one of the great strengths of American democracy. It provides a much broader representation of interests as well as demands accountability on all fronts. If a district representative doesn’t push local issues, he/she will not be reelected, but not because he/she is not a good national representative, but because he/she is not a good local representative. This process repeats on the state level for Senators. It is only the President that has to worry about a “national” interest, trying to push the objectives of a majority of the nation’s citizens.

Something I wasn’t aware of before coming to Spain, but that I obviously am now, is that democracy does not work like that here. Yes there are locally elected representatives, but these representatives are expected to think in national terms, not local terms. According to one of my professors any attempt to push a more local objective is often scoffed at, and nobody tries it more than once. In addition, there is much more party strength here, a bit like in England. The party primarily determines objectives, votes, etc. Although this happens in the States as well, it is not nearly on such a scale. The only figures I ever see on the news (but hey, maybe I’m not watching enough/the right news) are the leaders of the various parties (one being the President obviously) and the various ministers, etc. It almost seems as if there is no need to have anyone else speak, that when a party leader speaks that supposedly represents/determines how everyone else feels/is made to feel on a particular issue. Once again, perhaps I just haven’t seen interviews, etc. with other representatives on national issues and local issues, I really don’t know.

But coming back to the theme of no real local representation. It seems to me that this lack is to blame for the often super-negative attitudes towards the government, parties, and politicans in general. I wonder if perhaps people feel that no one is really representing them at all, that there is a serious disconnect between the people and those that represent them? Instead they are representing “Spain” in general or their party. But what better way to really represent Spain than to allow for a play and debate of interests straight from the people themselves (i.e. the type of local representation we have in the States)?

I know that this way (the Spanish way) is a much more typical way for democracy to function in Europe, but to me it really seems flawed and, as I said before, likely to cause discontent and disconnect. Perhaps I just don’t know enough. Perhaps I just sound like an egotistic American insisting that their form of democracy is best, but I really hope not.