The semi-loyalty of prominent conservative politicians dealt a fatal blow to the immune system of French democracy, ultimately leading to its demise. Unquestionably, the Nazis played a major role in finishing the job.
Fast forward fifty years, and the response of Spanish politicians to a violent assault on Parliament couldn’t have been more different. Spain had just emerged from four decades of dictatorship, and its newly restored democracy faced economic crises and separatist terrorism in its early years. Then, on February 23, 1981, during the election of a new prime minister, 200 armed civil guards stormed the Parliament, taking all 350 members hostage. Their aim was to install a conservative general, reminiscent of a Spanish Charles de Gaulle, as the prime minister.
Despite their efforts, the coup ultimately failed, thanks in no small part to the swift and decisive intervention of King Juan Carlos I. However, equally important was the unified response from Spanish politicians. Leaders from across the political spectrum, including communists and conservatives who had previously supported the Franco dictatorship, unequivocally denounced the coup. Just four days later, more than a million people took to the streets of Madrid, marching in defense of democracy. Communist, Socialist, centrist, and conservative politicians marched side by side, setting aside their partisan differences to protect democracy. The coup leaders were apprehended, put on trial, and given lengthy prison sentences. From that point on, the prospect of a coup became unthinkable in Spain, and democracy firmly took root.
This is the essence of defending democracy. Loyal proponents of democracy unite to condemn attacks on its foundations, isolate those responsible, and ensure they face accountability for their actions.
Regrettably, today’s Republican Party more closely resembles the right-wing factions in 1930s France rather than the right-wing movement in early 1980s Spain. Since the 2020 election, Republican leaders have exhibited a dangerous tolerance for authoritarianism on four pivotal occasions. Rather than adhering to the fundamental principle of accepting election results after Joe Biden’s victory in November, many Republican leaders either questioned the legitimacy of the results or chose to remain silent, refusing to publicly acknowledge Mr. Biden’s win. It wasn’t until mid-January 2021 that Vice President Mike Pence congratulated his successor, Kamala Harris. The Republican Accountability Project, a watchdog group within the Republican Party that stands for democracy, analyzed the public statements of 261 Republican members of the 117th Congress following the election. Their findings revealed that 221 of them expressed doubts about the legitimacy of the election results or failed to publicly acknowledge Mr. Biden’s victory. That accounts for 85 percent. Furthermore, in the aftermath of the January 6th riot, nearly two-thirds of House Republicans voted against certifying the election results. Had Republican leaders not fueled the flames of election denialism, the “stop the steal” movement might have lost steam, and the violent storming of the Capitol by thousands of Trump supporters in an attempt to overturn the election might have been avoided.
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