The magistrate of the Supreme Court (TS) instructor of the 'procés', Pablo Llarena, and the public prosecutor of the TS Javier Zaragoza have issued a serious warning about the increase in polarization in political life and public debate in Spain. Both have emphasized the weakness of institutions and the tensions between branches of the State, with Zaragoza explicitly mentioning the "clashes" between the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court regarding the amnesty law.
The two jurists have participated in the presentation of the book by magistrate Enrique López, titled 'The State of the State', an event they have taken advantage of to reflect on the current political climate, legal security, and the balance between the different powers at the national level.
In his speech, Llarena has maintained that the present polarization "breaks everything" and seriously deteriorates the "credibility of institutions," social cohesion, foreign relations, and the very legitimacy of the Executive.
The instructor of the 'procés' has demanded to separate the analysis of the functioning of the State from "party politics" and has defended a public ethics based on moderation, a sense of duty, objectivity, and scrupulous respect for political pluralism.
At the same time, the magistrate of the Supreme has asserted that the defense of the unity of Spain must be supported by the recognition of the internal diversity of the State. To this end, he has called for reinforcing common elements such as fair taxation, comparable healthcare across the territory, and avoiding the fragmentation of shared spaces for cultural reasons.
He has also highlighted the importance of addressing global challenges such as the management and integration of migratory flows and the advancement of technological innovation with a long-term vision.
"Institutional deterioration" and democratic regeneration
For his part, the prosecutor of the Supreme Court Javier Zaragoza has agreed in pointing out a profound "institutional deterioration" resulting from confrontations between bodies that, in his opinion, exceed the limits of their competencies. In this context, he has emphasized the discrepancies between the Supreme and the Constitutional Court regarding the resolutions on amnesty.
Along the same lines, the prosecutor has stressed that a genuine democratic regeneration requires strictly guaranteeing the independence of the judiciary and the freedom of the media.
Zaragoza has rejected that regeneration involves "colonizing the judiciary" or "restricting press freedom," behaviors that it has attributed to "certain political sectors," and has called to replace confrontation and sectarianism with dialogue, coexistence, and the search for agreements.
The author of the essay and magistrate Enrique López has also warned of the danger that citizens end up "getting used to the deterioration" of public life. He has defended the validity of the Constitution of 1978, the autonomy of Justice, and the need to set clear limits on power when those who govern intend to "expand their margin of action."
López has expressed his concern about the ease with which anomalies in the public sphere become normalized until they "end up becoming part of the landscape" and democratic standards are lowered. In this sense, he has questioned the practice of evaluating decisions based on who promotes them rather than examining whether they are acceptable.
In conclusion, he has called to leave pessimism behind and to lay the necessary ethical and institutional foundations to build "a stronger, fairer, and more united Spain," in which disagreement is possible within a shared common project.