Friday, January 27, 2006
Fraga!
I’ve been doing a bit of reading about Mr Fraga, the former president of the Galician Xunta on and off over the last week or so.
It is hard to figure him out. He was a fascist in the Franco regime – and not just an insignificant number, but a major player and policy formulator. He spent some time as Spain’s ambassador to the UK and was then an important figure in the transition from the old Franco regime to the democracy that Spain now enjoys.
In the democratic era he formed the “peoples party” (that was in office until elections last year) which he left some time ago for a career in regional politics. Yet despite this he is adamant that the Franco era, and everything it stood for, was worthwhile and something he is proud of.
It is hard to determine whether Fraga is still a sheep in wolves clothing or simply an astute political animal who has adapted and evolved with the time. In any event his political career now looks to be at an end. He was beaten in last year regional elections and, although still holding some “honorary” government titles, is at over 80 years of age on the last lap of politics if not life itself.
It is hard to figure him out. He was a fascist in the Franco regime – and not just an insignificant number, but a major player and policy formulator. He spent some time as Spain’s ambassador to the UK and was then an important figure in the transition from the old Franco regime to the democracy that Spain now enjoys.
In the democratic era he formed the “peoples party” (that was in office until elections last year) which he left some time ago for a career in regional politics. Yet despite this he is adamant that the Franco era, and everything it stood for, was worthwhile and something he is proud of.
It is hard to determine whether Fraga is still a sheep in wolves clothing or simply an astute political animal who has adapted and evolved with the time. In any event his political career now looks to be at an end. He was beaten in last year regional elections and, although still holding some “honorary” government titles, is at over 80 years of age on the last lap of politics if not life itself.
