In Spain, the elections are not Judgment Day: An Israeli compares the atmosphere

Michal Greenberg Korech, an Israeli living in Spain, compares the political atmosphere in Israel to that in Spain ahead of the elections. She describes conversations with locals and finds that most do not experience the elections as an existential competition like Israelis do, although there are also more extreme voices.

In a personal column, Michal Greenberg Korech, an Israeli living in Sitges near Barcelona, compares the political atmosphere in Israel to that in Spain ahead of the elections. She describes conversations with parents from school, a Jewish friend, and a neighbor, and finds that most Spaniards do not experience the elections as an existential competition like Israelis do. However, she quotes a right-wing supporting neighbor who says a left-wing victory would be 'unthinkable'. The article reviews the political situation in Spain: the rise of the right (PP) and the far-right (Vox), corruption scandals surrounding Prime Minister Sánchez, and tensions with Catalan separatists. The conclusion is that Spain still manages to escape the sense of loss and extreme polarization that characterizes Israel, although there are signs that polarization exists.