Spanish elections and politics

[politicus]

As it happens with the Syriza's economic programme, Podemos has softened some key points in the economic agenda, which can hardly be described as 'extremist' or 'Bolivarian', even though words like "debt-restructuring" may cause alarm amongst analysts at The Economist.  

With both Syriza and Podemos there is the interesting question: How leftist an economic policy can you actually implement in a small/medium country in a globalized economy with powerful financial markets without tanking your economy? And given that this is unknown there is also the issue of whether Syriza and Podemos will adjust more towards the center than necessary.

[politicus]

There's no answer for those questions. Let's wait until the o

There is of course an answer, we just don't know it yet.

You ended that sentence in the middle of nowhere - unless the o stands for something I don't know.

[politicus]

Podemos won't govern on its own, so it is hard to answer.

Syriza very well may. The principal question of how far left you can actually go without tanking the economy is IMO one of the most central in modern politics. To what degree is leftist politics mere symbolism that inevitably will have to moderated if the party/parties advocating it actually got power and to what degree is it implementable? Although this is of course not the right place/thread to discuss it.

[politicus]

Podemos will not be allowed to win.

Strange phrasing. Hope you are not venturing into conspiracy territory.

[politicus]

I must admit I don't really understand the appeal of C's and UpyD. Are they just for people who really really dislike Catalans? I certainly don't understand this new surge by C's. Who are they stealing votes from?

Also lol that Podemos are already running away from their basic income pledge. Wasn't that supposed to be one of Iglesias's biggest pet issues?

Even if their economists had told them it couldn't be financed they should have kept it in their platform and blamed PSOE for not being able to implement it. Leftist parties are often a little too honest about stuff like that.

[politicus]

Two polls depicting parallel realities.

Simple Lógica:

Podemos 30.8%, PP 24.5%, PSOE 18.6%, UPyD 6.4%, C's 5.8%, IU 4.6%.

http://www.simplelogica.com/iop/iop15001-intencion_voto_popularidad_lideres.asp

Celeste-Tel / El Diario

PP 31.1%, PSOE 23.8%, Podemos 20.9%, IU 4.7%, C's 4.5%, UPyD 2.7%

http://www.eldiario.es/politica/PP-levemente-aspiraciones-electorales-consolida_0_352065037.html

Methodological differences?

[politicus]

Have you ever heard about Ernesto Laclau?

I've wrote some small articles against him.

More of a Chantal Mouffe man, eh?

[politicus]

Maybe you could just call it Spanish Elections and Politics like the general discussion threads about German, Italian, Dutch, Austrian and Swiss politics, that way you wouldn't have to update the thread title.

[politicus]

What would the Spanish government do if Catalonia actually issued a UDI?

[politicus]

Wait, are Convergence and Union still running in the general?

Why wouldn't they? SNP runs for the Commons.

[politicus]

It may be farfetched conclusion but I think that there is a place for multi-regional party which will be to the right from PP and serve as an eventual ally (Portuguese variant) for them.

The right wing of PP is very right wing. Hard to see any space out there - unless you are thinking of a xenophobic populist party with anti-neoliberal/pseudo-leftist economic policies. Not sure how that combo would play in Spain, but it might work. Still, such a party would not be an easy ally for PP.

[politicus]

Regarding the Portuguese comparison CDS-PP is a lot more moderate than the right wing of Spanish PP.