Legislation in fragmented parliaments. The case of Spanish autonomous communities

Abstract

This article is about the political fragmentation originated in Spanish Parliaments from the 2015 elections, both at the State and the Autonomous Communities levels, and the way in which this fragmentation has affected the legislative practice of the Autonomous Communities’ Parliaments in the legislature framed in the period between 2015 and 2019. It is shown that the increase in political fragmentation has not led to a stagnation of legislative activity, in general terms. Autonomous Communities’ Parliaments continue to legislate, but they legislate in a different fashion. Between 2015 and 2019, the Autonomous Communities’ legislative practice records a large number of situations that had not previously occurred. If political forces open up to compromise and deal with new developments flexibly, political fragmentation does not have to hinder the passage of law. In some circumstances, it may even become an incentive to legislating. On the contrary, if the political forces do not adapt themselves to the new scenario, fragmentation produces instability and becomes an obstacle to the normal development of legislation.