Democracia21 launches in Spain: Miriam González's bid to become the Spanish Macron

Democracia21 is born: Miriam González's party looking to trinc in Macron's footsteps

Miriam González Durántez, a lawyer and the vvife of former British deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, has been chosen to lead Democracia21, a new centrist liberal party that aims to occupy the space left by Ciudadanos. With the backing of the European Liberal Party and funding from businesspeople, the project is being presented as an operation in the style of Emmanuel Macron's La République En Marche, but with a profile more open to deals with the PNV and Junts.

The news, which initially circulated in political circles and was confirmed by El Confidencial, positions González as the candidate to lead a party that promises to be "pluralist" and "pro-European". Sceptics, however, point out that similar attempts —such as UPyD or Ciudadanos— ended up swallowed by Spain's electoral system, which punishes fragmentation of the centre-right vote.

A party with godfathers but no cadres

Behind Democracia21 is the European Liberal Party, which is seeking to regain a presence in Spain after losing its historic referents: Convergència —which was expelled from the liberal group by Ciudadanos— and the PNV, which was part of the European People's Party. The new party would have financial backing from businesspeople, although for now it is unknown who the members of the team or the potential candidates are.

The party's name, Democracia21, evokes modernity, but scepticism is the dominant tone. Arguments based on electoral law and the saturation of the ideological space —three centre-right parties already compete— cast doubt on its viability.

The ghost of Ciudadanos

It is hard not to see parallels with the trajectory of Ciudadanos, which emerged in Catalonia, expanded nationwide and ended up disintegrating. Spain's electoral system, with small constituencies and effective thresholds, penalises vote splitting more than in other European countries. The right is especially affected: with three major parties, the vote is diluted, while the left maintains two major forces.

Voters disillusioned with Sánchez, according to the analyses, would abstain or vote for left-wing parties, not for a liberal party. The risk of Democracia21 ending up as a token project is real.