Spain - 73.50
45
Third world problems in the first world
Since their new world colonial empire collapsed, Spain has been on a near-constant downward spiral. Spain, once one of the most potent maritime empires on the planet, now struggles with secessionist movements, migrant crises, and one of the most volatile economies in the European Union. Years of fascism and mismanagement afterward allowed four of Spain’s former new world colonial holds to surpass it despite the country’s efforts during and after colonialism to hold these nations down. While the conflict over the independence of the Basque country has chilled, civil unrest movements in Catalonia are as active as ever. Spanish social security has begun to run out as an aging population takes out more than the last generation paid in. Economic mismanagement has left Spain especially vulnerable to financial crises, as was demonstrated in 2008 and 2021. Spain’s future is not bright either. The continued prevalence of breakaway regions and a stagnating economy spell a future of political and economic turmoil in Spain.
Human Rights - 81
Spain has fully abolished the death penalty. Police frequently slapped, shoved, kick, or hit with batons people violating COVID lockdowns. Temporary migrant detention centers faced severe overcrowding. Migrants recovered from the Straight of Gibraltar were held in detention centers with severe overcrowding and were often held in tents with little protection from the heat. Disease, especially COVID-19, spread easily in these detention centers. Spain has broad and poorly defined sedition laws. Nine Catalan independence leaders remain in detention under broad sedition laws for organizing the 2017 Catalan Independence Referendum. Sedition laws have primarily been used to target independence activists in Catalonia and the Basque Country. Spain guarantees a full gamut of LGBT rights.
Democracy - 83
Spain is a constitutional monarchy, limiting its score to 95. The prime minister is nominated by the king and approved by parliament. The prime minister is usually the leader of the majority coalition. The lower house of parliament is directly elected and so are 208/266 seats in the upper house while the other 58 are chosen by local elections. Elections are free and fair. Spain’s two-party system is collapsing. The Popular Party (PP) and Spanish Socialist Worker’s Party (PSOE) have dominated politics during the democratic era but their control is fracturing. Unidas Podemos, Ciudadanos, and Vox have all emerged to challenge two-party authority. Unidas Podemos became the first third party to form a ruling coalition by forming coalition with the PSOE. Catalonians and Basques face disenfranchisement. Catalan independence referenda have repeatedly been blocked. The 2017 Catalonia Independence Referendum was illegal and not held freely or fairly. The Spanish parliament has largely been in political deadlock and has lacked a stable majority since 2015, passing little legislation.
Freedom - 68
Spain has broad and poorly defined hate speech laws. These laws drew ire after Spanish rapper Petro Hasel was ordered to be jailed after publishing songs and tweets referencing banned guerilla groups and comparing former kings to mafiosos. Spain has promised to reform its hate speech laws but has not done so and these laws remain broad and vague. Spanish hate speech laws criminalize insulting ethnic, racial, religious, or other protected groups and the monarchy. Spain also maintains laws criminalizing glorification of terrorism, which often serve to criminalize voicing support of Catalan or Basque separatist movements. Spain maintains broad and poorly defined sedition laws. Nine Catalan independence leaders remain in detention under broad sedition laws for organizing the 2017 Catalan Independence Referendum. Sedition laws have primarily been used to target independence activists in Catalonia and the Basque Country. The government often denies assembly permits to Catalan and Basque independence movements. Spanish media ownership is highly consolidated. The Catholic church receives funding from the government despite Spain lacking an official religion. Drug possession is not punishable by jail time in Spain. Spain shall issue gun ownership licenses for semi-automatic handguns and rifles.
Economy - 69
Health - 100
Life expectancy in Spain is 83 years and the infant mortality rate is 0.21%. 23.8% of Spaniards are obese and 2.5% are malnourished. Spain’s universal healthcare system is world-class and provides free healthcare to all Spanish and EU citizens through social security. 98% of Spaniards have access to clean, running water.
Corruption - 59
The appointment of judges in Spain is heavily based on nepotism and patronage networks. Public services often must be bribed into action. Bribes during the import and export process are not uncommon. Public contracts are near impossible to obtain without bribes.
Competency - 58
The government is failing to appease or suppress breakaway regions. Repeated secession attempts from breakaway regions have resulted in political unrest. Spain has been in political deadlock since 2015.
Future - 38
The continued prevalence of breakaway regions in Spain is concerning. Spain has failed to appease or suppress these regions resulting in continued political unrest across Catalonia and the Basque Country. Spain shows no signs of breaking its continued political deadlock and has failed to pass significant legislation since 2015.
Actions Abroad - 47
Spain is a member of the EU and NATO and is generally regarded as a leech in both organizations. Spain does not contribute financially to either organization and has been criticized for damaging the value of the Euro for all other countries in the Eurozone. Spain has largely shirked colonial responsibility, neglecting their former new world holdings and Equatorial Guinea and pinning the responsibility of Morocco on to France. Spain is generally isolationist otherwise.
0.8% of Spaniards live under the international poverty line while 21% live below the national poverty line. 14.02% of Spaniards are unemployed. Spain has a low but increasing economic disparity. The minimum wage in Spain is $1126 per month. Spain has a very strong universal healthcare system. Healthcare is offered free to all Spanish and EU citizens through social security, and Spanish healthcare is of some of the highest quality in the world. Spain’s economy shrunk 10.8% in 2020 and grew 2% in 2019. A lack of social security benefits as the social security fund runs out has sparked outrage in recent years.