31 January: Without democracy

What makes a country a democracy is not that it solemnly declares it to be true while emphasising its Constitution. What makes a country a democracy is that it behaves democratically, acting in accordance with democratic values. Preventing the winner of an election (1) from being elected by a Parliament in which they have the necessary majority is not an example of democratic behaviour.

Those who want to prevent Puigdemont’s investiture from going ahead say they are upholding the law. I have serious doubts. Even if it were true, it would mean that laws that have such negative consequences do not belong in the legal arsenal of a democracy and ought therefore to be changed. And in any case, threats —sometimes despicable ones, mentioning the children of those who are being threatened (2)— do not belong to these values either. There may be a debate to be had as to whether Puigdemont's choice as candidate was the most practical or the most convenient decision. There may be a debate as to whether the Speaker of the Catalan Parliament has done what was necessary to postpone the investiture plenary session.

Nevertheless, we mustn’t lose our perspective: these necessary debates exist because there is a greater debate to be had. Because they want to prevent us from putting into effect the results of the election. This is the bottom line. For now, they haven’t managed to prevent it. But they have managed to postpone it.

_________

Translator’s notes:

(1) Carles Puigdemont, following the 21 December election.

(2) A PP spokesman recently threatened the Speaker of the House by urging him not to forget that “he is the father of two young children” before making any decisions which he might later regret.