The Government Returns to the 'Anti-Democratic' Conspiracy Theory Following Pedraz's Ruling
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When a government labels judicial rulings a "conspiracy," it's a textbook use of delegitimization rhetoric — and a warning sign for democratic backsliding.
Delegitimization TheoryDemocratic BackslidingElite TheoryPropaganda Model
Theory Briefing
- Spain's ruling Socialists invoked an 'anti-democratic conspiracy' narrative after Judge Pedraz issued a ruling tied to corruption probes.
- Framing inconvenient legal verdicts as political plots is a classic delegitimization tactic used by embattled governments worldwide.
- The move signals how institutions under scrutiny weaponize populist rhetoric to erode public trust in independent judiciaries.