ABSTRACT
We examine whether similarities between present-day Spain and Weimar Germany, in which Schmitt’s decisionism was developed, could explain why Schmittian ideas resonated with Podemos’ leaders. If the two political contexts share significant characteristics, then perhaps the success of Schmitt’s theory in each can be explained by its “fit” with features of the political landscape common to both. We relate chronologically how Schmitt’s thinking evolved with reference to the turbulence of interwar German politics, and how Schmitt came—albeit reluctantly—to support Hitler and his Nazi party. We then identify salient features of politics in contemporary Spain that echo the events Schmitt experienced as a young academic. Though some prominent figures have explicitly suggested parallels between the two political contexts, these do not seem sufficiently strong to explain why Schmittian ideas resonated with Podemos’ leaders. We conclude by arguing that to account for this resonance we must look not just at political context, but also at how Podemos’ leaders understand Spain’s past and its future—as well as the role they themselves can play in the transition between the two.
