Wow! It only took 4 months for someone to reply to this!:smile:
I am an American living in Spain. I've been here for nearly three years, and it has been fascinating to learn about the way government functions in this country.
First of all, the new government doesn't have an absolute majority in the Spanish Senate. Unlike the American two-party system, representation in the senate is split between several parties of varying sides of the political spectrum. Many of the parties are regional. For example, political parties from Catalunya represent about 15% of the make up whilst the national party PSOE, the largest of the parties at the moment, holds about a 44% bloc. There is so much representation that I would have to go hunting to find the exact figures for you.
The sweeping social reforms introduced by the PSOE have only been able to be passed by building relationships with other parties and it usually takes a 60% approval to enforce any laws. Some of the greatest accomplishments to date include legalizing gay marriage, reforming social code to protect people from domestic violence and opening dialogue between differing ethnic and linguistic societies like Catalunya and Pais Vasco with mainstream Spain.
The road isn't paved in gold, however. The PP (similar to our Republican party) still holds a strong majority in other provinces of Spain and they are very vocal. At the moment Catalunya is in the middle of a fight to gain more autonomy from the rest of the country which would allow it to freely control taxes and promote itself as an independent nation- similar to what Scotland, N. Ireland and Wales enjoy today. Since Catalunya is one of the biggest providers of taxes in Madrid and the southern provinces, the PP is completely against this because it would mean that they would have to work hard at spurring growth in regions like Andalucia- known for its high unemployment and lack of commerce.
All in all, the new government has gained a reputation as being one of the most progressive in Europe, and it's been a pleasure watching it take shape.
Hope I answered your questions... Let me know if I can fill you in on anything else! Cheers!
