Scandals force PP to negotiate anti-corruption points with Ciudadanos

Ciudadanos knows that if it is to act as kingmaker to the PP, it must be seen not only to be not involved in any graft, but to have done its utmost to get the PP to take action against wrongdoers.

The first of Ciudadanos’ six points requires the PP to expel anybody charged with corruption from the party. The fourth point demands an end to amnesties for those found guilty of graft, and the sixth calls for a parliamentary commission to look into the Barcenas case.

The other three points call for greater transparency in the way Spain’s parties draw up their lists of candidates, an end to privileges that prevent deputies from being tried by lower courts, and a maximum two-terms in office for prime ministers.

In Germany, the United Kingdom, France or Italy, it would be unthinkable for a politician accused of corruption to remain in office, and much less to be pardoned after being found guilty. Similarly, deputies can be hauled before lower courts like anybody else when accused of wrongdoing.

So why does Spain have to pass laws to bring itself into line with the rest of Europe ?

“In other countries politicians stand down because it is demanded by society, and understood by politicians that this is what they must do,” says Jesús Lizcano, president of the Spanish branch of corruption watchdog Transparency International. “There is a conceptual, structural, and institutional difference in other countries,” he adds. “We are the exception with regard to many things in the rest of Europe.”

In Portugal and Italy, only the president enjoy immunity from prosecution by a lower court, and can only be tried in the Supreme Court; in Spain there are some 10,000 individuals who enjoy that status, among them politicians, judges and public prosecutors.

Spain occupies 18th place out of 28 in Transparency International’s ranking of public perception of corruption within the European Union.

“Other countries have generated a more solid, ethically based political and democratic culture about what is acceptable and unacceptable,” says Fernando Jiménez Sánchez, a lecturer in political science and administration, and an expert on the Council of Europe.

“This doesn’t need to be backed by laws,” he adds. “Ciudadanos’ measures are not a bad idea in strategic terms, so as not to get its fingers burnt [as part of any pact with the PP], although they won’t guarantee any improvement in public ethics. They include eccentricities such as limiting terms of office, which makes no sense in a parliamentary regime.”

During the last election campaign, Rivera insisted that Rajoy stand down. His party’s willingness to support the PP in trying to form a government has forced him to apply certain terms and conditions, one of which is to create a new framework to fight corruption and bring Spain more into line with its European neighbors in this regard.

“There has been criticism that some of the measures are excessive, which might be true, such as requiring politicians to resign when they are accused of corruption… but it’s also true that this country has been excessive in allowing politicians to steal,” says José Manuel Villegas, the deputy secretary general of Ciudadanos.

“There has been too much corruption. We have to win the electorate’s trust,” he adds. “With these measures, we aim to make it clear that the fight against corruption continues, and that this will allow us to support Rajoy in Congress when he tries to form a government.”

The PP’s executive committee meets on Wednesday to discuss Ciudadanos’ six points.

Recommended Reading :

* Rajoy : "There is no such things as 'Generaised Corruption' in Spain"

* "Spain is not corrupt" : Rajoy