The kingdom of gossip

Manu Leguineche wrote it down: "The press is not the fourth estate; the fourth estate in Spain is gossip." For weeks, we've been confirming that the diagnosis proved both true and prophetic: this country is constantly sloshing around in gossip, a historic national sport that has so enriched creativity, from the theater of García Lorca to the comical antics of José Mota. We could say we're living in a golden age of the genre, a possible consequence of the search for an outlet for so much political tension. The fascist world revels in a sinful night, real or imagined, at the Teruel inn. The judicial proceedings surrounding Doña Begoña Gómez have yet to uncover solid evidence to charge her, but they're stirring the imagination at dinner table. And this week, the ultimate: in that conspiratorial hotbed that is Madrid, the epistolary passion of the now estranged couple of Pedro and José Luis. Pedro is Sánchez, whom they are so eager to see, and José Luis is Ábalos, a character that Galdós would have immortalized in his National Episodes .

Five days after the serial began publication in El Mundo , which received significant coverage in other private media outlets and caused a huge stir in the Congressional oversight session, it seems appropriate to ask whether the content of the texts is as significant as their impact was grandiose. My answer is: the value of that content is limited to morbidity. I don't think it will change the fate of this government, but it does contain values ​​and lessons that the Socialist Party should not underestimate.

I shouldn't underestimate them because, if these events don't make history, they do help us understand their protagonists. The first thing that becomes evident in this case is the weakness of the phrase-makers: this is the first time they haven't found one that ministers can repeat endlessly on the news. They are bewildered. Second, the prevailing cynicism, which legitimized the publication of Rajoy's "be strong, Luis," but considers disclosing Sánchez's correspondence a crime. Third, this will once again raise the old conflict between the right to privacy and the public interest, and until now all the rulings have been in favor of the general interest. And fourth, a defense of Sánchez's integrity, at least in this chapter: if a head of government can't take an interest in the rescue of a large company like Air Europa, what good is he?

That said, here we are before documents that expose the president to society. This exposure is perhaps what most bothers the Moncloa government, because they show a Sánchez who is not as kind as his face appears, all heart and tolerance when he appears on television. He has a irascible temper that, judging by the epithets he uses for Page or Lambán, doesn't even accept criticism from his loyalists. It's useless, therefore, to expect from his attitude any willingness to reach an agreement, or even to dialogue with opponents like Núñez Feijóo. The leaked WhatsApp messages greatly facilitate political analysis. But, and this is the sad part, they also facilitate the accusation of authoritarianism that the opposition so relishes.

SCRAPS

Starmer . Interesting: seeing the British prime minister attending meetings with European leaders, despite Brexit; more so than Pedro Sánchez, by the way. Intriguing: his toughness on immigration. Disturbing: such toughness is no longer exclusive to the far right. The Labour left has just embraced it.

Gifts . Trump says it would be stupid to refuse the plane Qatar is giving him. I wouldn't refuse it either, but it raises a comparative question: Would it also be stupid for a king to refuse a $100 million gift from another monarchy?

Feijóo . Expectations are high ahead of the upcoming PP congress. A month and a half of speculation about the new leadership and a major role for Feijóo. What matters most for the country is something else: knowing whether the PP is moving closer to, distancing itself from, or breaking away from Vox.

Prosecutor . Hallelujah: the government is preparing to guarantee the autonomy of the Attorney General, already provided for by law. This is a democratic step forward, but also a confession: if changes are needed to achieve this, it means that this autonomy is not guaranteed. And therefore, it is not respected.

Consultation . Today the public consultation on the Sabadell takeover bid closes. Its result will be secret and non-binding. Perhaps it will be useful for Minister Cuerpo, I don't know. For other citizens, a consultation whose results are hidden and don't oblige anyone, what does it sound like? To be blunt, like a joke.