It’s always been said that Spainregarding its cultural and landscape richness, country of contrastsa mosaic whose appeal comes from genuine diversity that, without losing its essence, complements each other.
We now know that – like many others – it is also country of contradictions and paradoxes.

And although they are many and varied, and they tend to be so frequent (especially in the social and political sphere) that they go unnoticed; The paradox that we are seeing these days is very striking: the paradox associated with amnesty. A theme that doesn’t do much (especially in the “golden” era Albert Rivera) was considered almost taboo; Suddenly and in the blink of an eye it becomes so commonplace that it is almost impossible to find a conversation, dialogue or colloquium in which it has not left its mark.

Amnesty – today the star term in all meetings – was a word that yesterday, to be able to mention it, you had to do little more than cross yourself to prevent the wrath of the people from falling on you. “Zevpokrit” (Zeus here).
But the appearance Together On the political scene, by winning the coveted and needed seven seats, he changed everything.

With only 7 seats out of 350 constituting the Congress, he brought the entire country under control.

Yunts, more complex and less “restrained” than CKD, put Sánchez and his government in power – and therefore the whole of Spain – between ropes: without an amnesty and a referendum, there will be no investiture in Catalonia. Jants, as a tireless and determined player, puts everything on one card. With only 7 seats out of 350 constituting the Congress, he brought the entire country under control. He saw Sánchez’s desire to take over the presidency of the government at any cost; the perfect opportunity to bring him to his knees and beg – reneging on what he had previously said – for his long-awaited induction.

He brought him to his knees because he was sure that sooner or later he would succumb to temptation and forget what a shame it was for any person (and especially for a person aspiring to leadership) to back down on vital issues. importance; and because he saw it – as we all saw it – that, kneeling before the Alawite dictatorship (although in this case it is for reasons unknown to us), his knees became calloused due to erosion. .

In a challenge unprecedented in the history of democracy, Hunts did not hold back in making it clear to Sánchez that for his investiture to succeed, he had only one alternative: barter! Presidency of the government in exchange for an amnesty and a referendum in Catalonia.

And here is the real paradox, the mother of paradoxes: The country’s intellectual and political elite (analysts, professors, journalists, lawyers and even philosophers), instead of focusing on the improvised and undemocratic nature of the junta’s request (barter), engaged in fruitless debates about the constitutional and legal viability of amnesty.
Here, so far, Younts has already won his first victory: he diverted everyone’s attention from the irrelevant essence of his request and focused the discussion exclusively on its legal viability.

A barter that Sanchez – whether he likes it or not – must accept, paying a ransom and showing that he is clearly a hostage to his lust for power.

The hunts condition Sánchez to pass a law tailored to his needs – which must also be voted on by the Spanish parliament in “record time” – and, as if nothing happens, the debate centers on the constitutional viability of this law. law. No one asks why this law is presented in the form of an exchange and why a deadline (coinciding with the investiture) is given for its adoption, as if it were salvation. Such a law, according to experts on the subject, should be broadly and strictly motivated in individual presentations. And what is the motivation behind the law on amnesty for the Yunts? Surreal motivation: this is a prerequisite that Younts established for barter to occur.

The juntas could be lenient, maintain appearances, and be content with the approach of their amnesty law and the possibility of its adoption in the future, rather than demanding its immediate implementation; and therefore it would make sense to relatively (only relatively) direct the debate along the path of which we, astonished witnesses, are witnessing. But no, Hunts – showing that he has the advantage – not only does not hide his intentions, but also does everything possible to ensure that everyone sees his request for what it is: a barter that Sanchez – whether he likes it or not – is forced to agree, paying to save him and showing that he is clearly a hostage to his lust for power.
And we, not professors, lawyers or philosophers, but modestly trying to be guided by common sense, believe that a democracy that considers itself consolidated cannot and should not allow its presidency of the government to depend on barter.

A barter in which, moreover, the other side – with only 7 deputies out of 350 – insists on being treated as such, demanding no more and no less than the implementation of the law (drafted solely in its favor). in a time previously limited to oneself.

If in elections – municipal, regional or general, and even union or any other – the purchase of votes is considered fraud, then how can the purchase of an entire investment not be considered fraud, or what is the same thing? the entire Government Presidium?

In a vain attempt to justify the unjustifiable, Mr. Sanchez states: “Amnesty is a solution to the problem of coexistence in Catalonia”. We would believe him if he himself had not rejected and reviled until very recently this amnesty law, which suddenly became a magic potion that solves all problems; rude and simple, because he is eager to take the oath as chairman of the government.

In conclusion, under normal circumstances (with a full legislature and a government in place, not in power) and in a calm manner, tackling the issue of amnesty, no matter how controversial its approach has been in the past, would not have surprised anyone. ; but to barter to get the amnesty law passed in record time, because investiture depends on it; and pretend that this is perceived as something normal; is to underestimate the collective intelligence by trying to deceive citizens through unorthodox tricks and practices that are workarounds to circumvent the rules of democracy, which, according to Yolanda Diaz- “We gave it to each other.”

Abderrahmane Buhaya He is a Sahrawi translator and teacher.