Spain's new beginning..El Triunfo de la Voluntad..

The World |
Editorial
Author: Hildegard Stausberg | 06:28
Spain's new beginning

Just six years ago, the country posted a budget surplus, now it is in deep crisis. The reorganization of Spain is a Herculean task. But Mariano Rajoy, the conservative election winner can do it

Spain is a castle. Inaccessibility is the sign of this country "This famous sentence began the famous Spanish historian Salvador de Madariaga's classic" Spain "When the first edition of 1929 published in London, had the Spanish Civil War started yet, though. dark clouds were gathering over the Iberian Peninsula This erupted into a three-year bloody struggle -. followed by more than three decades of Franco's regime.
 

When he died in 1975 of the Caudillo, was by no means fixed, whether Spain would make the leap from authoritarian regimes to democratically elected constitutional monarchy. It had already begun in the sixties through economic growth, increased industrialization and urbanization accelerated a rapid process of transformation of Spanish society. But the fear of the ghosts of the past was still big, too powerful for many. In its updated version of 1979 Madariaga defined in the chapter "On the threshold of the future," cares for his home country: "The main task will consist in the adaptation of Spain's national character to the bonds of the modern world."

With his successful "transición" Spain has fulfilled this requirement since exemplary: It's become a worldwide model for peaceful regime change. One of the first decisions of the governments of the post-Franco Spain was the application for accession to the then called "European Community" called Central European States Association. This was done in 1986 and Spain became the twelfth member.

The accession of both countries at that time was perceived as an important milestone toward modernization and supported by an overwhelming majority of the population. Above all, it marked just the case of Spain the most impressive turning away from the isolation of the past decades and centuries: Spain wanted the hole and put them in Brussels through to amazingly fast: From the "European special case" (Madariaga) was one of the most successful countries of the old continent. This view of the great progress and achievements of past decades is important: It shows to what Spain is capable of when it wants and if it must.

On Sunday, the Spanish electorate for six and a half years luckless ruling Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero have voted. , The starting center position for the Socialists in 2004 compared to today was downright rosy: Spain had at that time - the only country in the EU - a balanced budget, even a budget surplus in 2005. This was all more success from the time of his conservative predecessor, José María Aznar. When he took over in May 1996, the government, he was ridiculed by his political opponents like a "bookkeeper" - and many long been underestimated. In the eight years in office thanks to a rapid economic growth, unemployment has been reduced from 22 to eleven percent. The privatization of state companies such as Endesa, Repsol, Telefonica Iberica or brought a reduction of deficits and reducing debt. Much of it was not popular, but it brought on Spain - and enabled the rapid accession to the European Monetary Union.
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Spain has benefited in the first years of the euro by this. Zapatero referred to the heavy legacy of love that he had begun it. In fact, his government has for years drawn only once from the solid and then pulled the emergency brake too late. Had it with the legacy of his predecessor mismanaged reasonable, there would have been in the reserves crisis, could use one. But now the coffers are empty, and unemployment rose from two to five million - among the young is one in two people without a job.

Even now with the absolute majority is elected conservative Mariano Rajoy, Aznar, like, no darling of the intellectuals. You like to mock him as Biedermann. And indeed, is the former estate officials no great orator. His victory was achieved only at the third attempt - that speaks for perseverance and stamina. In his Popular Party (PP), founded in 1989, one amalgam of right-wing groups, he has long been controversial. But the man from Galicia, because of the diversity has both rural, urban and maritime influenced Spanish regions over the proverbial tenacity of the "Gallegos".

Which is the 56-year-old, born in Santiago de Compostela also need a lawyer. Because of a rapid recovery of the Spanish economy is not to think: it will take some time to complete, require a lot of courage and new, unconventional ideas. Also, it will not happen without a change in the rigid framework of the Spanish labor market - the sacred cow of the Spanish Socialists. Since one has created a situation that is untenable, because it is stifled by any incentive for hiring new employees in the bud.

To reduce youth unemployment Rajoy wants to draw on elements of the dual system in Germany, because the Spanish youth is partly just not enough in modern, cutting-edge professions. His supposedly good relationship with Angela Merkel will use him. To act in their own way rather unemotional and objective, the two are similar. Closer consultations between Madrid and Berlin could be conceivable.

The international financial markets are the elected prime minister, who resigned on 22 To compete in December, but not spare. And so far, little is known about how Rajoy, the future policy of the European Central Bank thinks. But one thing is clear: If someone is a farsighted and creative redeployment trust the Spanish government finances, Mariano Rajoy.