Josep Ramoneda

The impotence of Spanish politics means the problem of Catalan secession will sooner or later end up in the hands of the EU

It falls to the Socialists in opposition to bring Spanish politics into line with society’s clamor for change

The return to power of the right under Mariano Rajoy has been accompanied by a highly ideological agenda that aims to restrict civil liberties

The announcement of inter-party agreement on the Catalan referendum has brought politics back into focus

Government’s anti-protest legislation is designed more to provoke than to quell disturbances

Spain’s government must do more than merely point out that any Catalan referendum would be unlawful

Creating stability counted for more than creating a democratic culture during the Transition. The result: an opaque regime that is growing ever more so

The Catalan independence project is a political problem and it is nonsense to treat it otherwise

The Wert education law is a symbol of elitism, and the massive privatization of basic services typifies the caste culture that is corrupting Spanish democracy

Given the paralysis over the crisis on both the left and right, it is hardly surprising that nationalist projects gain traction

Judge Castro has decided to name the princess as a suspect, pointing out that any other course would amount to a serious short-circuiting of justice

There is a direct correlation between the neoliberal style of government, and the phenomena of bubble, corruption, crash and cutbacks

News of the PP’s slush fund on the back of financial scandals deepen the desire for a fresh start

Politics and political science, says Ulrich Beck, share a weak point: the chronic underestimation of the power of social movements

The education reform is designed to demolish the legacy of secularization and underline national linguistic unity

Will Artur Mas resist the huge pressures on him, chiefly from the Catalan business elite?

Bureaucrats and states believe the idea of a federal Europe truly based on the citizens' votes is a mirage

Independence has ceased to be taboo. It has acquired a respectable status in Spanish political life and become a touchstone of political rhetoric

How can the bailout of Catalonia via the Regional Liquidity Fund be made compatible with rhetoric about independence?

Politicians claim money is given without conditions, an unlikely prospect

State of anxiety amongst the people is growing as democracy languishes

If your government’s decisions are not your own and you can’t even vouch for their effectiveness, it is time to stand aside

Amid the financial crisis, the PP never neglects the ideological struggle, even as its bright banners are beginning to fade

Pacts between political parties in Spain seem hard to reach - but are they desirable anyway?

If we accept Rajoy's conviction that there is no alternative to neoliberal recipes, parliamentary life is pure comedy

The culture of exception breeds emergency measures, camouflaging aggressive legislation that completely changes the rules of the game