The Importance of Choosing a Progressive Coalition Government in the Upcoming Election

We are a few days away from going to vote. Unfortunately the electoral campaign has not been particularly illuminating in terms of declarations, proposals and promises, except for those of us who are already politically positioned and have our vote decided without a doubt.

For this reason, it would not be a bad thing to take a look at the realities of the governments in which the main electoral options have been or are present, and also in their attitudes when carrying out parliamentary tasks.

On the one hand we have those who for nearly four years have formed a progressive coalition government in Spain, PSOE and SUMAR (although the latter configured as “Unidas Podemos” and with the inclusion of other regional parties in Catalonia, the Valencian Country, Madrid, etc. and that in substance have maintained the same positions as the state government).

When the progressive coalition government began its journey, an experience totally unpublished in our democratic history since 1977, many people thought that they would not last long and would end up throwing things over their heads. Fears accentuated with the COVID pandemic or the war in Ukraine. It hasn’t been like that. Furthermore, his legislative baggage and political initiatives have been of great intensity until the last day.

The legislative baggage and political initiatives of the progressive coalition government have been of great intensity until the last day

It is true that there have been moments of tension, some mistakes made due to the obstinacy of a sector of United We Can or limitations or brakes imposed by the socialists on the most ambitious proposals in the economic, fiscal, or social field. These specific problems should not surprise us, taking into account the political and ideological differences between the government partners or the very different level of previous political experience. But if we look at the existing coalition governments in quite a few European states, with a long history of government pacts behind them, we will see that the experience in Spain has been more fruitfulwith less tension and a more peaceful end to the legislature than is usual in most European coalition governments.

It is also true that they have often had to rely on progressive parliamentary groups, clearly located in the pro-independence sphere. In my opinion, this should not be criticized or considered a mistake, but rather a total success, as well as an obvious need to achieve the approval of progressive measures.

In this sense, the positive evolution of EH Bildu It is more than remarkable (and this is how a part of the Basque electorate has understood it, which has given them significant support in the 28 M elections) and every democrat, left or right, should rejoice about it. Also, except on two or three occasions (undoubtedly important such as the Labor Reform or the Reform of the Gag Law), the position of ERC has been evolving positively, of course within its pro-independence identity signs and they have contributed in a reasonable way to reduce the political and social tension in Catalonia, which was not easy and for this reason, unlike EH Bildu, they have paid a heavy electoral price on 28 M due to the disagreement of the most radical pro-independence sectors.

In short, the experience of the progressive government, with the support of other parties on the left and also of the PNV (which, as on other occasions, has set an example of reformist moderation, common sense and pragmatism, of course without renouncing its nationalist demands and principles). , has been clearly positive.

The positive evolution of EH Bildu is more than remarkable (with significant support on 28 M) and every democrat, left or right, should rejoice

If the possibility of forming a new progressive coalition government is repeated, with the aforementioned external support, its performance will surely be much more fluid, with the experience already accumulated and with the advances already made. It is therefore a much safer option for those of us who want Spain to move forward, in the field of social cohesion, productive modernization, environmental improvement, progressive tax reform, and the consolidation of citizenship rights. of women and men or territorial development that is much more balanced and respectful of the rights and interests of the population as a whole throughout the State, including attention to “emptied Spain”.

However, the experience of the possible PP-VOX pact not only has a much shorter journey to date, but it has also been much more unstable. The experience in Madrid (City Hall and Autonomous Community) or in Castilla León, has been one of permanent shocks and disagreements, given the demands of VOX to the PP. The configuration processes of new coalition governments in Murcia, Extremadura or Aragón and the questions about how relations will go in Cantabria, La Rioja, the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands, do not predict stable legislaturesunless the PP is willing to make concession after concession to VOX, which would entail a serious risk for the PP to maintain its good results in future electoral processes.

Núñez Feijoo, who in my opinion and from the knowledge I have of him from having had an institutional relationship in the 1990s, is not a man who feels at all comfortable with the extreme right. as neither are Juan Manuel Moreno, president of Andalusia or other leaders of the PP. They are politicians who have been and I suppose still are, of the moderate right and even centrists, who would not like to govern with the extreme right or conditioned by it.

A PP government, with the presence of VOX ministers or with their external support, in addition to the specific measures of cuts and involution, would be very unstable

Unfortunately, the pressure of the most intransigent sectors of the PP, with Isabel Diaz Ayuso at the head and a large part of the media, and the need to attract votes from VOX sympathizers, has meant a right-wing of the messages of the PP In the electoral campaign and at other times, there has been a distancing of VOX’s positions, by both Núñez Feijoo and other PP leaders, including former President Aznar himself.

What would be the profile of a PP government, even without the explicit presence of VOX? Everything suggests that to get the majority to first reach the presidency and then to govern, the PP would have to make important concessions to the extreme right on topics as relevant as the territorial system, social rights, fiscal policy, the defense of the rights of women and LGTBI minorities, the protection of the environment, the integration of emigration, cultural involution or the application of the policies from the European Union. And everything that an insatiable extreme right would add.

In short, a PP government, with the presence of VOX ministers or with their external support, in addition to the specific measures of cuts and involution, would be very unstable and incapable of addressing the important, urgent and complex policies of modernization and social welfare of our country.

On the contrary, a progressive coalition government, overcoming past mistakes and limitations, would give continuity and would substantially improve the advances of recent years. Hence the importance of going to vote and doing so for progressive options.