Spain strengthens transparency law intended to fight corruption

Lawmakers on Thursday night passed amendments to beef up Spain’s first freedom of information law, intended to attack corruption and restore plummeting public trust in politics and government.
A series of scandals has highlighted a lack of accountability in political parties and even the watchdogs charged with keeping them clean.
Spain is the only European Union nation without a law which guarantees citizens a right to information on how public funds are spent. The bill is expected to pass both houses of parliament within the next few weeks.
The original draft left out key institutions, including political parties, the royal family, lobbies, unions and employers’ associations, which were included in the amendments on Thursday.
“As things stand today Spanish democracy is not comparable with Britain or Scandinavia. Personal or political behaviour which would be unacceptable there have no consequences here,” said Aitor Esteban, member of parliament for Basque nationalist party PNV, which voted in favour of the amendments.
Spaniards’ tolerance for graft has faded as a five-year economic slump exposes how cosy relations between politicians and construction magnates fed a disastrous housing bubble.
Under the new law, all levels of government will have to provide clearer public records on which companies have government contracts.