We often link denialism and opposition to environmental issues to far-right parties, yet this is an oversimplification. Camil Ungureanu, Marc Sanjaume-Calvet and Balsa Lubarda argue that some centre-right parties, by downplaying ecological concerns and framing ecology as 'the new communism', paved the way for far-right climate denialism.
The problem is that considering the Spanish PP as a center is a basic error, it is not fascist in the style of the German ultra-right, but it is more similar to Le Pen or Meloni than to Merkel, it is dominated by the most extreme wing since its foundation.
Well, a lot of the “centre right” in Europe also has moved to political positions that used to be exclusive to the far right. Ecological issues are only one area. Civil liberties, authoritarian surveillance and police suppression, freedom of personal choice and lifestyle…
It may be, but in the case of Spain the party has not moved, it has always had those positions, both economically and socially, not so much perhaps against immigration, as on abortion or religious issues, they have always been the version most radical of the European PP
Unfortunately the current system doesn’t allow a small center party to survive and add nuance to the political scene.
The funny thing is that we already have a center/center-right party: PSOE.
The current system DOES allow it, it’s not a system like the American one, what does not allow it’s the will of the voters, those on the left would be cool with the idea, but they are not going to vote for it because they are not on the left and those on the right do not like a center party. It’s not the system, it’s the people.
Technically true, not in practice. On almost half of the provinces (those with less than 4 seats)* you risk your vote going to waste if you don’t vote for one of the big two parties.
It’s the same issue, but worse in their case. The American system also allows it if only the voters massively voted for some third party.
Do they?
* In fact, you could even include those with 5 seats, which would put it over the 50% of provinces and 30% of seats.