After Pedro Sánchez’s period of reflection, it is now our turn to reflect. Despite the uncertainty created by the president among the politically informed, the reaction of the young people around me was one of indifference. Most of them said, “What about Sánchez? My friends and I have much more important problems.” These problems are not philosophical or political in nature, but rather existential, such as finding a place to live, a decent salary, and a sense of purpose in life. This is denied to the vast majority of young people today, as mass tourism and investor enrichment push ordinary citizens further away from the dream of owning a home.
Continuing our reflection, not in the heat of a party’s Federal Committee, but through literature. One good book, removed from major debates, is for entertainment and enjoyment while still staying connected to reality. In Dennis Lehane’s “Gone, Baby, Gone,” he describes one of these petty wars between the poor: the Irish versus the African Americans in Boston. The protagonist reflects on how they are being manipulated to fight over scraps while the rich feast. This may have been in 1970s America, but it reflects the lack of equal opportunities in today’s European world. The only equal opportunities are within families, where inheritances allow children of property owners to also become property owners.
Housing, decent salaries, and the dream of a meaningful life should be the priorities of any significant reflection. The question that should be haunting every leader is: What is the purpose of a government, national or regional, if it cannot solve these issues? Sadly, this obsession is not on the horizon. The only positive aspect of Sanchez’s pause for reflection is that he is unlikely to do it again. The downside is that it has given the right-wing more ammunition. Meanwhile, the problems that they will not solve persist. Today’s young people increasingly feel similar to the unfortunate characters in Dennis Lehane’s portrayal of 1970s Boston. Governing will only be worthwhile if this is avoided.
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