Andorra Rejects Open Lists for Parish Elections

Andorra's Consell General rejected Concòrdia's proposal to introduce fully open lists in parish elections on Thursday, with Demòcrates and Ciutadans Compromesos voting against advancing it at the initial consideration stage. Partit Socialdemòcrata and Andorra Endavant supported further debate despite substantive disagreements.

Ciutadans Compromesos leader Carles Naudi spearheaded opposition, citing fictional Spanish characters Rodolfo Chikilicuatre—the 2008 Eurovision novelty act chosen by public vote—and the vulgar detective Torrente to underscore dangers of popularity trumping policy. He cautioned that influencers could win seats, a Torrente could become head of government, or the most outrageous TikToker could serve as Síndic General. In parishes like Canillo and La Massana, he said, just four or five votes could nominate candidates, while 100 votes might elect a general councillor amid crowded fields, bypassing the 15% threshold. Naudi flagged ideological inconsistencies in replacing single-person list vacancies and warned of nonstop fragmentation leading to "constant chaos" and endless elections that erode stability. His group voted no.

Minister for Institutional Relations, Education and Universities Ladislau Baró praised the bill's technical work but highlighted inconsistencies, such as fully open parish lists paired with a closed national list, which he said undermined overall coherence and voter empowerment goals. In Andorra's developing party system, he argued, it could spur excessive fragmentation, low-vote representatives, and disrupt the balance between territorial bipartism and national proportionality—without evidence linking it to higher turnout. Demòcrates leader Jordi Jordana labelled it incoherent, prioritising personalism over projects, risking parliamentary stability ahead of elections, and deeming single-person candidacies undemocratic.

Concòrdia councillor Pol Bartolomé framed the bill as a flexible basis to tackle voter disengagement, especially low youth turnout among 18- to 25-year-olds, and Andorra's weak proportionality—worse than all but 13 of 127 countries analysed. He criticised the current partially open system as party-controlled, limiting direct choice, and invoked Jürgen Habermas's vision of consensual democracy emphasising debate and agreement. Acknowledging electoral changes alone won't end abstention, Bartolomé called it a "shock" to reconnect citizens and representatives, proposing a commission to consult social actors before upcoming polls.

Opposition parties offered measured support for discussion. Partit Socialdemòcrata's Susana Vela noted risks of personalism, media sway, and lobby influence but backed advancement to boost proportionality and update the 2022 law. Andorra Endavant's Carine Montaner opposed the content—fearing an "ungovernable" country—but voted yes to restart talks on electoral rules, including more referendums.