Editorials
Democracy
By h.b.
Apr 22, 2007 - 9:45 AM

EDITORAL COMMENT -

Spain’s transition to democracy has been praised worldwide for the smooth way in which it was carried out. The role of King Juan Carlos over the time cannot be underestimated, and nearly all of the Spanish people hold the King in high esteem as a result, even if they are not natural royalists.

The transition was as it was for many reasons, not least because of a so-called ‘pact to forget’. A conscious decision was made by the Spanish people to draw a line and move on. It was part of the long healing process.

Now though sections of society who feel aggrieved by the years of the Franco dictatorship have been demanding retribution and the Socialist Government wants to bring in a new Historical Memory Law to set the record straight. Court rulings from the Franco years now look set to be declared invalid.

The opposition Partido Popular, still with some ex-Franco supporters among the older members of its ranks, would much prefer that this sleeping dog be allowed to lie.

With such a debate now emerging almost daily in the media, it’s easy to remember that Spain’s democracy is a young one, and perhaps still has a lot to learn.

The decision by the National Statistics Institute not to name the 235 municipalities where census irregularities have been detected is a mistaken one. There should be a total transparency over such investigations, because only then can the public make a fully informed decision on which party to support.