What is wrong with politics in Spain?

[Janet]

An interesting read HERE about the "class of politicians" ... and how the Canaries really should not be in the situation it's in right now, and how it is precisely because the politicians are a breed apart. Sickening reading, really ...

[Perikles]

Interesting article which asks an interesting question: some areas of the peninsular survive from having tourists for three months of the year. How is it that the Canaries struggle when they have tourism twelve months of the year?

[Janet]

Decent read HERE (will need google translate) about the corruption that's innate ... as the article ends "will the last one to leave please turn out the lights".

[Janet]

It's probably libellous to say "they're all at it" so I won't say that ...

but it seems that quite a few might be!

As one example, there's the mayor of Valle Gran Rey sentenced to four years in prison, and of course there was the removal and banning from office of the mayor of Arona, and now the mayor of Valverde has been jailed for two years and banned from office for six (link) ...

Maybe I should have just posted in the What is wrong with politics in Spain? thread HERE. Is it a Spanish problem? Or is this a particularly Canarian quality?

Libellous or not, would it be fair to say "they're all at it"?

[Michael]

Libellous or not, would it be fair to say "they're all at it"?

IMHO they are all at it. It's just that the individuals mentioned aren't very good at it and get caught.

And when I say 'they', I mean politicians world wide like in the UK where MPs are looking for a 32% pay rise.

[Guanche]

I think it's a Latin problem.

[El Profesor]

I mean politicians world wide like in the UK where MPs are looking for a 32% pay rise.

No, Spain has a particularly nasty breed of parasitic elite politician.

The people were conned during the peaceful transition from fascist dictatorship to "democracy". The closed list system isn't really democracy in my opinion, but they were happy to be told it was.

In the UK it is different ..... the politicians are to some extent controlled by the people and the media.

These judicial episodes Janet mentions give me hope, but not much because the people are not politicised in this country. Its a bit like "Oh! another one got caught". They'll just be more careful in future.

[Janet]

anyone following the caso Bárcenas?

... take your pick of any story on the front page, it's full of it!

[El Profesor]

anyone following the caso Bárcenas?

Actually I feel rather sorry for  Iñaki Urdangarin. He isn't a politician and he will be crucified, ripped to bits and fed to the media. What a stroke of luck . . . a celebrity distraction.

This Bárcenas character is, on the other hand, a politician and it is expected of him.
He may very well bring down the government ..... but he himself will not be punished and will be allowed to keep his millions.

[Guanche]

Theres quite a good article in El Pais (English version )  'Is something rotten in the state of Spain?' I've tried to do a link but the whole page keeps coming up! Obviously doing something wrong......again!