Miriam González: "There is enormous room for a new political party in Spain"

BarcelonaMiriam González (Olmedo, 1968) is a lawyer specializing in the European Union and a driving force behind civil society initiatives such as España Mejor (Better Spain), a citizens' platform that aims to influence public policy, particularly regarding democratic renewal. Her life has always been intertwined with politics, as, beyond her professional activity, she is also the wife of former British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. Living between Madrid and London, after a stint in the United States and now based in Barcelona, ​​she is considering entering Spanish politics.

What does she hope to achieve with España Mejor?

— España Mejor was created with the aim of opening a space alongside political parties where anyone who wants to contribute to public policy can do so naturally. We've been around for two and a half years and have made proposals on all sorts of issues, from housing to water, financial education, and above all, we've pushed for political transparency: we've proposed a code of ethics for government, with the idea of putting limits on political power in Spain, which I believe is absolutely necessary.

They have met with the PSOE, the PP... How did they respond?

— We contacted all the political parties, but hardly anyone responded, so we decided to embark on a tour across Spain, holding open meetings with citizens. It's important to raise the bar of public scrutiny of politicians and political parties.

What does the code of ethics consist of?

— There are 99 measures, covering everything from preventing conflicts of interest to prohibiting deliberate lying in parliament, requiring the publication of advisors' CVs, and preventing politicians from appointing whomever they want once in power. There's no need to constantly replace people in the administration based on their political affiliation. The measures also include limiting the number of public cars and houses, providing information, and holding regular, in-person press conferences—all basic principles of politics.

How do you currently view the political debate in Congress?

— It worries me. Politics is completely out of touch with the people.

You now lead España Mejor, which is a civil society platform, but you are also considering a move into politics.

— In July I said that if the parties didn't move on issues related to political integrity, a more political option should be explored. We must ask ourselves whether we should remain outside [politics], complaining, or organize ourselves to see what we can do. We must take action.

Is there room in Spanish politics for a new party?

— I see a huge gap. A moment of such acute polarization as the present leaves many people feeling unrepresented by such polarizing options, and in fact, I think this gap not only exists, but is growing.

Will this new party be left-wing or right-wing?

— The question surprises me because I don't really know exactly what it means to be left-wing or right-wing in Spain. I mean, you see the left, which traditionally represented the working class, opening its doors to immigration, and that really goes against the interests of the working class. Or when people talk about whether they're conservatives or progressives, I say that now they're all the same: they preserve their own interests and advance themselves. It seems to me that the fundamental thing is to articulate political options that are focused on cleaning up the system; this is a specific task in Spain. It has an added challenge compared to other countries, which is that it has all the political energy due to maintaining clientelism, and that's what prevents us from carrying out a series of reforms that we should be doing now.

Does he want to occupy the space left by Ciutadans?

— The circumstances are completely different. Ciudadanos emerged from very specific circumstances and brought together people of all kinds. Some have remained in a more centrist position, while others have moved towards the extremes.

To give us an idea, what are your thoughts on housing?

— For me, the priority is affordable housing. And it can't be what the traditional parties are doing, with one saying it should only be built by private companies, and the other saying there can't be any kind of public-private partnership. You have to set aside all ideological prejudices and implement all the measures at once.

Do you agree with the rent cap?

— I'm personally less in favor of intervening in prices, but I do believe that different rental options should be added. And in the case of tourist apartments, I don't understand why the VAT isn't the same as for hotels.

Regarding the territorial organization of the State: Is Spain a plurinational state?

— I don't understand why so much importance is given to certain words that are loaded with meaning and, moreover, that each person understands differently. There's a concept of nation that some don't share—personally, I don't mind calling it that—which refers to the union of inhabitants of a territory who feel united, especially by a language and a culture. What's wrong with recognizing this? Now, if you tell me that they're all states, well, no, what we have is a state and autonomous communities. All that energy we waste on words... what matters are the concepts and how things work on a daily basis.

What do you think of the Process and the State's response to it? At that time you were in the United Kingdom, where there was a similar debate in Scotland.

— For me, the situation was different. In Scotland, there was a very strong pro-independence movement for a long time, and then a referendum was put on the table. This didn't happen in Catalonia. I watched the events with concern. Now I sense that there has been some progress in overcoming that situation, and I think that's positive.

Should Spain have accepted a referendum like the one held in the United Kingdom?

— The circumstances in Scotland are very different. The Spanish Constitution allows for referendums across the entire national territory.

In other words, he doesn't think so.

— Every country has different situations, including political ones. The Constitution can be changed, but only under certain rules.

And regarding amnesty, are you in favor?

— I've had doubts about whether it's constitutional or not. There's a gray area that can be argued from both sides. What worries me is how such a far-reaching decision was reached, while part of the country believes it's being used as a bargaining chip. Legality is one thing, and timing is another. That said, being pragmatic by nature, anything that brings peace of mind has a positive side. But the way it was handled wasn't fortunate.

Is better funding needed for Catalonia? The PSOE is negotiating a new system with ERC.

— All administrations should be managed as efficiently as possible. Now, I believe that the discussion about funding is not one that can be conducted bilaterally. Many people would be open to it, but the way the discussion is being framed creates problems for the future. In any case, I think it should be reviewed, and furthermore, I have no problem with the order of priority being respected.

Shouldn't Catalonia have a different relationship with the State than Murcia?

— There is a basis in the Constitution for differences between the autonomous communities. However, I believe that discussions held bilaterally at the national level, excluding the others, create problems later on. This doesn't mean the same formula should apply to everyone, but rather that the discussions should be inclusive.

Is the Basque concert fair?

— It's in the Constitution. I didn't vote for it... I'd say those who don't benefit from it consider it less fair, while those who do benefit believe there's a historical justification. In the end, the Constitution included a series of concessions we had to make... and if we all picked up a pen now and started drafting it, there are certainly things we wouldn't include. But well, these are historical circumstances that must be accepted.