Revista de Derecho Político (Apr 2018)
La limitación del número de mandatos del Presidente del Gobierno // The term limits of the Presidential office
Abstract
Resumen: En España, en los últimos tiempos, se ha hablado y discutido con frecuencia sobre la posibilidad de limitar el número de mandatos de los Presidentes del Gobierno. La propuesta más reciente ha sido abordada por el grupo parlamentario Ciudadanos con la presentación de una Proposición de modificación de la Ley del Gobierno de 1997. El principal motivo que se esgrime para incorporar esta novedad es el de contribuir a la regeneración democrática y evitar episodios de perpetuación en el cargo público. Pero la propuesta ha desencadenado un debate jurídico muy intenso sobre la norma jurídica que debe contener el mandato. De modo que, frente a quienes defienden la legitimidad de la opción legal, existen sectores políticos y doctrinales que abogan por la necesidad de acometer una reforma constitucional sobre la base de las dificultades de encaje de tal medida en el sistema parlamentario español y la incidencia que tiene en el procedimiento ordinario de nombramiento del Presidente del Gobierno en los términos que establece el artículo 99 de la Constitución española. Abstract: In Spain, the idea of limiting the number of terms of office of the President of the Government has been around in recent times. The parliamentary group Ciudadanos has addressed this issue with a Proposal of amendment in the Government Act of 1997. The requirement is justified on the contribution to the democratic regeneration and the prevention of perpetuation in a public office. But the proposal has triggered an intensive debate and, against those who defend the legitimacy of the legal amendment, some sectors support the need for a constitutional reform on the basis of the inconsistencies with the Spanish parliamentary system and the impact on the ordinary procedure of appointment of the President of the Government, under the terms provided by article 99 of the Spanish Constitution. Summary: I. Introduction. II. The proposal of limiting the number of terms of office of the president of the Government and the current prescriptions of limits of term of office of the presidents of the autonomous regions. III. The need for a constitutional reform to set the limitation of the number of terms of office of the president of the Government. Arguments. 1. The limitation of the number of terms of office of the President is inconsistent with the parliamentary system. 2. The eligibility of a person is part of the representative democratic tradition. 3. The limitation of the number of terms of office ignores the logic of the State of the parties. 4. The restriction of terms of office affects the relations among institutions and represents a triple constraint that determines the subjects involved in the procedure of appointment of the President of the Government. 5. The limit of the terms of office is a vetoed subject for the Government Act as it exceeds the content authorized by the Constitution. IV. Conclusions.
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