Mafia-style two-party rule: Spain's useful vote loses all credibility
From tactical voting to angry abstention: why more and more Spanish voters see the PP and PSOE as mafia-like organizations and choose abstention or cynicism instead
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Mafia-style two-party rule: Spain's useful vote loses all credibility
Papo de luz's comparison is no joke: "It's as if the Cosa Nostra, the 'Ndrangheta and the Camorra ran in Italy's elections and voting for the least bad one were considered a civic duty." The metaphor captures what a growing share of the electorate feels about the PP-PSOE duopoly. The idea that both parties are two sides of the same coin — a mafia-style organization that needs corruption to survive — resonates among those who see the system as a farce.
Abstention as a structural response
A segment of voters has opted for permanent abstention. "I haven't voted in eons," runs a recurring comment, ruling out participation in any election, including general ones. This is not apathy but a conviction: refusing to legitimize with their vote a system they consider fraudulent. Colmillo puts it bluntly: "People vote, get screwed knowing it, vote again, get screwed again, and keep voting election after election." The analogy with Cuba — where two brothers would run as the options — underscores the perception that there are no real alternatives.
The ideological gulf some defend
Against the mafia-equivalence thesis, some point to substantial differences. Survivor101 argues there is "an ideological and managerial gulf" between a "communist in the Tsipras style" and a "good politician in the Orbán style." This argument, a minority one in the debate, holds that the choice is not between equal evils but between opposing models of society. However, the general tone dismisses that distinction as irrelevant in the face of systemic corruption.
Legitimizing a system that does not work
SanMarcial delivers a radical conclusion: "Spain is a direct, living demonstration that democracy DOES NOT WORK." The accusation is aimed at voters — "langostos, charos, aliadme and defecasemen" — who "legitimize a system that has been taking them for a ride since the day they were born." It is the crudest expression of a political disaffection that, according to CIS (Spain's official polling institute) data, affects more than 30% of citizens, even though turnout remains above 60%.
The question the debate leaves open is whether a corruption-free useful vote is really possible, or whether the system is designed so that any chosen option perpetuates the same dynamic. Meanwhile, the mafia metaphor keeps gaining adherents.
Related forum debates
Papo de luz's comparison is no joke: "It's as if the Cosa Nostra, the 'Ndrangheta and the Camorra ran in Italy's elections and voting for the least bad one were considered a civic duty." The metaphor captures what a growing share of the electorate feels about the PP-PSOE duopoly. The idea that both parties are two sides of the same coin — a mafia-style organization that needs corruption to survive — resonates among those who see the system as a farce.
Abstention as a structural response
A segment of voters has opted for permanent abstention. "I haven't voted in eons," runs a recurring comment, ruling out participation in any election, including general ones. This is not apathy but a conviction: refusing to legitimize with their vote a system they consider fraudulent. Colmillo puts it bluntly: "People vote, get screwed knowing it, vote again, get screwed again, and keep voting election after election." The analogy with Cuba — where two brothers would run as the options — underscores the perception that there are no real alternatives.
The ideological gulf some defend
Against the mafia-equivalence thesis, some point to substantial differences. Survivor101 argues there is "an ideological and managerial gulf" between a "communist in the Tsipras style" and a "good politician in the Orbán style." This argument, a minority one in the debate, holds that the choice is not between equal evils but between opposing models of society. However, the general tone dismisses that distinction as irrelevant in the face of systemic corruption.
Legitimizing a system that does not work
SanMarcial delivers a radical conclusion: "Spain is a direct, living demonstration that democracy DOES NOT WORK." The accusation is aimed at voters — "langostos, charos, aliadme and defecasemen" — who "legitimize a system that has been taking them for a ride since the day they were born." It is the crudest expression of a political disaffection that, according to CIS (Spain's official polling institute) data, affects more than 30% of citizens, even though turnout remains above 60%.
The question the debate leaves open is whether a corruption-free useful vote is really possible, or whether the system is designed so that any chosen option perpetuates the same dynamic. Meanwhile, the mafia metaphor keeps gaining adherents.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (15 replies).
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