The shit in Spain falls mainly in the fan

[celedhring]

Edit: Also the PP crowd chanting for Ayuso is pretty striking.

That's Madrid though - she's widely despised outside the capital.

She would be more effective at drinking Vox's milkshake that Feijoo was, though, that is true.

[Iormlund]

Eventful day. So far:

1) Puchi and Sánchez have reached an agreement to support a Socialist government in return for an amnesty (plus some other stuff).
Basically PSOE agrees to shit all over the Judiciary in order to form a government.

2) Vox founder Alex Vidal-Quadras was just shot in Madrid.

[celedhring]

Well, Vidal-Quadras founded Vox, but he left the party many years ago and had distanced himself from it. Anyway, first reports is that he's stable and awake.

As somebody that was "okay, whatever" with the pardons, I very much don't like this amnesty business. All the other concessions are less important than people think, and many amount to vagaries that will go nowhere ("we'll discuss doing this! We'll discuss doing that!"). An amnesty as part of horse trading to form a government though? Utterly dangerous precedent.

[celedhring]

Well, right now it seems the main line of investigation is... Iran.

Vidal-Quadras has ties with some opposition group, and he's been sanctioned by the regime. But this seems... odd. I mean, he's a very minor political figure at this point in time.  Has Iran ever been tied to assassinations of Western citizens?

[Sheilbh]

Oh God it's MEK right?

They're a crazy opposition group/cult/terrorist organisation who are absolutely loathed in Iran (I think because they backed Saddam in the Iran-Iraq war but also for the terrorism), but lots of Western politicians get involved with them (normally when they're retired - so I assume they pay well). You'll often see them posting these incredibly glossy, expensive looking events with, say, Giuliani and Howard Dean or some French ex-PM addressing them about Iranian freedom.

[celedhring]

Yes, that's the one.

[celedhring]

So, in a bizarre turn of events, Tucker Carlson has showed up in a demo against the amnesty, alongside Vox's leaders.

Does this mean I have to be in favor of it now?

[Iormlund]

Jesus ... could you guys keep him that side of the Atlantic, please?

We're more than capable of destroying our democracy without help.

[Iormlund]

Quick summary of what's going on for those interested:


Despite projections, PP failed to get enough seats to form a government last summer. This is in large part because nobody wants to align with Vox, so PP + Vox must get over 50% seats to win.
I (naively) thought it would all result in a hung parliament and repeat elections.

It won't. Sánchez has negotiated with all the minor parties.

The most interesting deal was struck with Junts, the party of former president of Catalonia, Puigdemont.
The published document embraced the separatist narrative of the events of 2017, called for an amnesty and acknowledged the Judiary had fabricated cases against the separatists, announcing that parliamentary committees would review and take action against "lawfare".
So basically the door has been opened for the government to mess with the judicial branch.

Condemnation followed from every single judge association (including those linked to the Socialists), as well as many other interested parties (the entire Supreme Court, prosecutors, attorneys, unions, ...).
A lot of people have taken to the streets in protest, though the most radical elements of the far right have marred the demonstrations.

The text of the amnesty was leaked yesterday. The stated objective is "to quell tension" in Catalonia. Which is bullshit, of course. The objective is to buy votes to form government.

This deal is also almost guaranteed to do the exact opposite of quelling tension (which had simmered down  nicely anyway).
Either the Constitutional Court declares it invalid (which would revive separatist victimhood) or a future PP & Vox government does it in a few years (with the same result).

[celedhring]

If the law is found constitutional, I don't think a future conservative government striking it down will change anything. Most favorable law applies in criminal court. Same reason the 1977 amnesty has never been amended to prosecute Francoist torturers, would serve no purpose.

They also didn't include the lawfare thing in the amnesty law. It's just an ambiguous reference in the confidence & supply deal with Junts. So for now it has no legal presence.

The infuriating thing (and I'm generally against amnesties unless very dire circumstances) is that this is just to buy votes. From the same guys that benefit from the amnesty. Really...

[Iormlund]

They can't roll back the law, no.

But they can swing the pendulum otherwise. For example when it comes to devolved powers.

[HVC]

So... what's with your king being a cuckold. This a big story in Spain?

[celedhring]

So... what's with your king being a cuckold. This a big story in Spain?

Allegedly with her sister's ex-husband no less

My stance remains the same. If I have to have a monarchy, I want it to be profoundly decadent.

[HVC]

So... what's with your king being a cuckold. This a big story in Spain?

Allegedly with her sister's ex-husband no less

My stance remains the same. If I have to have a monarchy, I want it to be profoundly decadent.

That's what happens when you marry a commoner. Come on Kate, you're up

Do either of the daughters looks suspiciously like the stable boy, or is that just a British monarchy thing

[Syt]

So chemtrails are a conspiracy of Jews and ETA?