Spanish lawyer Gonzalez Durantez launches centrist party for November election

Spanish Lawyer Gonzalez Durantez Launches Democracy21 for November Election

Democracy21: A New Political Force in Spain's Volatile Landscape

Introduction of Democracy21

MADRID, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Lawyer Miriam Gonzalez Durantez launched a new Spanish political party on Saturday to run in an early general election on November 29, promising to rise above a growing ideological divide, recover democratic values and depoliticise institutions.

Gonzalez Durantez, who is married to former British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and specialises in international and EU trade law, said the party, called Democracy21, will run in the election in Madrid and Barcelona.

Political Context and Challenges

The party enters a volatile political landscape after Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called the snap election on Monday following parliament's rejection of measures to address a mounting housing crisis. Opinion polls point to the conservative People's Party (PP) and far-right Vox likely winning a combined parliamentary majority. 

The Left-Right Divide

Referring to the left-right political divide in Spain exemplified by the deep rivalry between the Socialists and the PP, she criticised "two rigid blocs with nothing to foster consensus". 

Gonzalez Durantez called on Spaniards to "set aside our ideological differences, to stand united, and to work together to safeguard democracy and modernise the country."

The Housing Crisis and Public Response

The crisis has triggered continuing mass protests over home shortages and surging rents, stoked by the eviction of an 87-year-old woman, whose death on Tuesday further angered protesters.

Political Accountability for the Crisis

Gonzalez Durantez blamed both the ruling coalition and the opposition, which controls most of Spain's regions, for the housing crisis, calling their politicians "a cost, a  burden for the country" who expressly failed to develop and urbanise the land.

Regulatory Barriers and Housing Affordability

"They haven't used the permits to build housing; instead, they've used them to line the coffers of their city councils. They've imposed so many regulations, many of them absurd, that they've doubled the price per square meter of construction and have made it almost impossible for us to build affordable housing," she told supporters.

Role of Government in Housing Policy

Central government can set housing legislation and devise nationwide plans for incentives and subsidies, but their implementation, and wider urban planning, is largely devolved to regional governments and municipalities.

Gonzalez Durantez's Vision for Change

She said she would identify a problem and not play politics with it. "I won’t use it to pit one group against another, no, I’ll simply fix it."

(Reporting by Alba Figueras and Andrei Khalip; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)