Legislative initiative in Spain: Regulatory issues and practical impact

Abstract

In recent years, especially since the outbreak of the global economic and financial crisis, various social sectors have highlighted the lack of legitimacy of the institutions of political representation, claiming that their decisions do not serve the interests of citizens; questioning has been made visible through unprecedented social mobilization. An interesting aspect of the recent collective actions of citizens is the exponential increase Legislative Initiative to try to assert their rights and interests in the legislative field. However, the realization of this right has faced barriers normative and political will. This paper provides an overview of the institutional performance of the Legislative Initiative in Spain, including the legal and procedural aspects of the institution and its practical impact; in order to identify their constraints and making lege ferenda proposals to optimize the right to political participation recognized in the Constitution.

Keywords

• iniciativa legislativa popular
• derechos políticos
• democracia semidirecta
• democracia participativa
• participación ciudadana