Views on core EU values
Overall, 94% of respondents in Spain agree that ‘all EU Member States should respect the core values of the EU’, including fundamental rights, the rule of law and democracy. However, when asked which values were most important to them personally, only 27% of respondents in Spain selected ‘democracy’, which is consistent with the results from the previous Spring 2023 Standard Eurobarometer. Whereas the proportion that chose ‘the rule of law’ has increased by five percentage points to 22%. Therefore, among respondents in Spain, ’democracy’ ranks as only the fifth most important value, with ‘the rule of law’ now coming next in sixth place.
When looking at the extent to which Spanish respondents are ‘satisfied’ with how democracy works in their country, the majority say that they are ‘not satisfied’ (52%). In the previous Spring 2023 Standard Eurobarometer, the majority of respondents in Spain were in fact ’satisfied’ with how democracy works in their country (54%).
This is a significant seven percentage point shift from ‘satisfied’ to ‘not satisfied’ in the course of only six months, and therefore requires us to understand what has happened in the political environment during this time in Spain, to drive this shift.
When we further analyse the factors which determine whether respondents state that they are ‘satisfied’ or ‘not satisfied’ we can see that satisfaction levels also vary heavily depending on the political and ideological standpoint of respondents. For those respondents who would consider themselves to be on the left of the political spectrum, 53% are ‘satisfied’ with how democracy works in Spain. Whereas 51% of centrists and 70% of those that are right leaning are ‘not satisfied’ with how democracy works in their country.
Trust in National Government
Furthermore, 69% of all respondents in Spain answered that they tend not to trust their National Government. Interestingly, we can see a variance in the levels of distrust in the National Government among respondents in Spanish depending on whether they are right or left leaning on the political spectrum. For example, 58% of those who would self-identify as ‘left leaning’ say that they tend not to trust their National Government, whereas this rises to 73% of centrists, and again to 91% among those who would self-identify as leaning to the right of the political spectrum.
To explore the data in further depth, here is a link to the full Autumn 2023 Standard Eurobarometer:
https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/3053
Political context
The Eurobarometer data reflects a backdrop of ongoing uncertainty, turmoil and a polarisation of views across the political spectrum in Spain.
On the 17 November 2023, Pedro Sánchez once again became Prime Minister of Spain. His party, the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) now govern in coalition with Sumar, an assembly of political parties which are to the left of Sánchez’ PSOE on the political spectrum.
But it has not been an easy journey for Pedro Sánchez to secure his role as Prime Minister. Initially, following the general elections last July, King Felipe VI invited the leader of the conservative People's Party, Alberto Núñez Feijoo, to present his candidacy for primacy, as it was in fact, he and his party that won the most votes in the election. However, he was unable to obtain a majority backing of the 350 elected lawmakers in the Congress of Deputies.
After the failed attempt by Alberto Núñez Feijoo, Sanchez was invited to put forward a bid, which 179 lawmakers supported. This majority vote confirmed Sanchez as head of the Spanish government for a new four-year term.
A critical point to note from the vote in Congress, was that all seven lawmakers from Junts (the Catalan separatist party) voted in favour of Sánchez, without which he would have been unable to secure his majority. However, it was the promise made by Sánchez to ensure this support of the seven members of Junts, that has caused controversy in Spain but also in the EU.
The response in Spain
The presentation of this amnesty bill by the PSOE, a few days before the vote in the Congress of Deputies, provoked widespread protests in Spain.
The disapproval of this controversial bill by such a large proportion of the Spanish public stems from the deal forged between the PSOE and Junts, which essentially guaranteed the support of their lawmakers in exchange for amnesty being granted to Catalan separatists, charged in court for their involvement in the pro-independence movement.
The controversy focused on several different aspects. Firstly, it was deemed that the agreement to grant amnesty to the Catalan separatists was driven by self-interest on behalf of Sánchez as a means of securing the majority backing from Congress for his position as Prime Minister.
Additionally, such an act arguably breaches the rule of law as it contravenes the Spanish constitution which stipulates the separation of power. On the other hand, Sánchez and his party have maintained that the granting of amnesty was an ‘essential tool’ that will serve to ‘improve coexistence in Catalonia, heal wounds and resolve a political conflict through politics.’
The ripples extend beyond Spain to the EU level
Given that ‘upholding of the rule of law’ is a fundamental value of the EU, to which all Member States are bound within the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, Sánchez’ potential violation of this has also been scrutinised and hotly debated in the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
While the legitimacy of Pedro Sanchez’ government has not been in question, this contention has subsequently led the European Commission to launch an independent assessment of the amnesty bill.
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