One of the charges Feijóo leveled at his rival Sánchez was a claim about his disbelief in Spain itself. Sánchez answered with quiet anger: the opposition leader could accuse him of anything else, but not of not loving Spain. He love Spain as much as he loves anything else, the reply implied, a statement meant to defend a shared national sentiment rather than to win any single argument.
Read without haste, the moment reveals a familiar scene: a formal quarrel in a regional hall that seems almost childish in its theatrics. Yet it also mirrors a deeper truth about politics everywhere. Politicians often drift into discussions of abstract, almost mythic ideas—concepts that feel larger than life and laden with clichés. From a practical standpoint, Spain is not an entelechy, a perfect ideal, but a living society made up of ordinary people with a sense of belonging, collective needs, personal aspirations, and a desire for improvement. The nation is, in effect, a social body composed of diverse voices that shape its direction.
These ambitions can be pursued in countless ways, which is why democracy inherently embraces pluralism. Problems rarely yield to a single solution or a single creed. It is not a matter of one side harboring sacred beliefs while the other merely comforts itself with certainty. It is not legitimate to insist that the right holds a monopoly on love for Spain or that the left alone bears the mission of destiny. In a mature democracy, all major parties claim to act with the best interests of Spaniards in mind, yet none can claim exclusive possession of truth or virtue. This is a reminder that the country’s democratic health rests on a culture of respect and the willingness to engage across divides.
What becomes clear is that the nation has not forgotten this essential component of self-government: respect. When competing leaders and parties acknowledge that they enter public life with good intentions, cooperation becomes easier and shared projects become more effective. In that spirit, consensus can emerge not from compromise alone but from a commitment to the common good and to processes that include diverse perspectives. In turn, citizens gain greater confidence in governance because they see that disagreement exists within a framework of mutual respect and a shared goal: a better life for all who call the country home, whether they live in bustling cities or quieter regions. This perspective holds true across North America as well, where democratic systems thrive when respectful discourse accompanies reform, enabling progress that reflects the broad tapestry of public interests. Ultimately, that balance—between conviction and civility—defines the strength of any democracy.