After the drastic confinement of more than 100 days, this pandemic period is over, but we are not going to close the door on the way out. Now is the time to be able to criticise the phase that is coming to an end and to express what we Spaniards think about what has happened so far.
The Eurobarometer just released by the European Parliament has shown how satisfied Europeans are with the measures taken by the governments of their respective countries in response to COVID-19.
In last place out of the twenty countries surveyed, the Spanish government comes out worst. While the European average reported being fairly or very satisfied with the measures adopted by their respective governments by 561 PT3T, in Spain only 351 PT3T, i.e. one out of three respondents, are satisfied with the measures adopted by their respective governments, while in Spain only 351 PT3T, i.e. one out of three respondents are satisfied with the measures adopted by their respective governments. almost two thirds are totally or fairly dissatisfied, 63%. To see the contrast, we are impatiently waiting for the survey of the formerly prestigious CIS to investigate this issue.
Of course, this position leaves us at a notable difference with our dear neighbour. Portugal, the second in the list with 85% of respondents fairly or very satisfied. with the measures taken by your country in the coronavirus pandemic. The results in terms of human lives between the two Iberian countries cannot be compared, which I do not believe is because "...the EU and Spain have taken the same measures".Portugal is west of Spain".. Let us not go back to pointing out the differences and let the Reconstruction Commission work on learning from Portugal to be prepared in case of serious resurgences.
In the light of this survey, it does not seem that Spaniards can share some official slogans such as that we are in the "high end of success", or that we are going to come out of confinement "stronger". Or to boast, when the government does not know the true number of deaths from the coronavirus, that 450,000 deaths have been prevented by containment.
In 2016, the book 1785 reasons why even a Norwegian would want to be SpanishThe book, in which the many historical events, famous people, inventions made by our country are exposed (it should be compulsory reading for our young people, to raise their self-esteem as Spaniards). It is clear that for most Spaniards the actions of our government during these months should not be included as the 1786 motif in a future edition of this work.
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Eduardo Rodríguez Rovira
Honorary President of the Spanish Confederation of Organisations for the Elderly (CEOMA).