This year, in addition to celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Spain and Malta, Spaniards are also celebrating the 40th anniversary of our Constitution. On December 6, 1978, the Spanish Constitution was overwhelmingly ratified by referendum.
It established our fundamental values where the principles of equality, freedom, legality and political pluralism, among others, stand out. That date earmarks the recovery of democracy in Spain and opened a period of progress that has led us to the highest positions in different fields.
The charter provided a framework for enormous social change and economic progress, achievements that belong to all Spaniards. The charter generated a momentum of general hope and ambition.
Spanish society wanted to become a prosperous and peaceful nation, but nothing could have been achieved without a constant flow of social claims for liberties and rights.
For Maltese readers, it can be interesting to realise that Mediterranean societies can indeed be at the forefront of progress in many social and political spheres. There are similarities between the changes Malta is experiencing and the transformation of Spain in these decades. I will name a few. The institutional quality provided by the Spanish Constitution has placed us as the 19th most democratic country scoring 94/100 as a “free country” in the annual study Freedom in the World 2018.
The establishment of a basic, public and free education, as stated in the Constitution, has contributed to one of the best-prepared generations in Spanish history. In the health system, Spain has the third most efficient health system in the world and is the world leader in organ donation and transplants for 26 consecutive years.
Tolerance, generosity and reconciliation were the values that the seven founding fathers of our Constitution needed to apply intensely
Spain is a pioneer country where LGBTI rights are recognised and protected, and was the third country in the world to recognise same-sex marriage.
In terms of gender equality, Spain ranks fifth out of 153 countries with regards female social inclusion, justice and security according to the Women Peace and Security Index, and continues working to achieve true equality between men and women in all areas of society.
Spain is the most decentralised country in Europe, a country that embraces plural languages and territorial autonomy as no other country does. We managed to put an end to decades of terrorism and to overcome a very severe economic crisis.
The insertion of the Spanish Constitution into the national legislative system was essential for our integration into the European Community in 1986.
The hosting of important international summits, such as the Ibero-American Summits or the Madrid Peace Conference in 1991 for the Middle East, show our commitment to priority areas in the international arena, supplemented in recent decades by our country’s increasing role in Africa and Asia and a firm contribution to multilateralism.
Coming from very different political backgrounds, tolerance, generosity and reconciliation were the values that the seven “founding fathers” of our Constitution needed to apply intensely in order to and agree on a constitutional text.
Spain is nowadays a totally different country, but tolerance, solidarity and plurality continue to be at the basis of our identity, a pro-European and Mediterranean one.
The European Project has to reinforce the democratic values, recover the confidence of citizens, enhance the cohesion and solidarity among countries; it has to speed up its adaptation to the digital changes and protect our citizens through the correct functioning of sound institutions; it has to recover from the crisis, ensure equal opportunities to all and prepare for an energy transition and sustainable growth.
All these elements are at stake, too, in our domestic political debate around a possible constitutional reform. Not all political forces agree on the extent, matters and urgency, but far from being a sign of weakness or exhaustion, the commemoration of the 40 years past and the debate about the 40 years ahead show a good dose of vitality and intergenerational dialogue, a sign of a vibrant society that wants to further develop as a modern and inclusive country.
Consuelo Femenía is Ambassador of Spain to Malta.
This is a Times of Malta print opinion piece