They all win

Two days ago, we had local and regional elections in Spain. The total number on votes was roughly equal for both main national parties, so both tried to appear in front of the public as winners. On the election day, contenders encouraged citizens to vote, pointing to the precious institution we enjoy in democracies and which people in non-democratic regimes long for. It is true that, in consolidated democracies, we take things for granted and do not value our liberal institutions as we should, but that is not the whole story. Most voters think their vote will not make much difference, or that things will remain the same no matter which party wins in the end. Casting a vote every four years is neither a democratic nor a much powerful tool to exert influence on political decisions. One possible solution would be to combine indirect elections with direct democracy institutions -referendum, legislative initiative, recall- which would empower citizens in everyday politics, force them to become more active and responsible and politicians to become more accountable. Above all, most decisions would remain in the hands of people who experience directly their consecuences, and not in the ones of a political caste which purports to know the desires of the citizens at any moment and which claims to have a mandate to do as it pleases with the political agenda.