One of the reasons why corruption is not punished at the ballot box is that we tend to avoid exposing ourselves to news about scandals affecting our favourite party.

Do municipal councils in Spain reflect the diversity of origins of the population? We analyse access to local politics for immigrants and whether differences exist between the different foreign groups. 

To what point do elderly people participate in political activities? Some 6.5% of men and 4.3% of women aged between 65 and 74 years in our country participate actively in politics.

What percentage of public spending is allocated to elderly people? The tendency in European countries has been to increase the weight of the resources allocated to this group.

The two books reviewed share concerns regarding the decline of the USA and show the problems facing the country. From different perspectives, both reach the same diagnosis regarding American society and the danger that threatens democracy.

In Spain, smoking and road accidents are responsible for an important loss of years and quality of life. Have the legal measures taken in recent years had any effect on this problem?

From an economic viewpoint, innovation is considered to be an engine of growth because of its capacity to generate wealth and employment, a focus that has gained prominence since the start of the financial crisis in 2008. This review by the “la Caixa” Social Observatory comments on two books that analyse this issue from very different perspectives. 

Spain’s Secretary of State for Research, Development and Innovation, Carmen Vela, describes in this interview the strengths of the current system and highlights those fronts being worked on with regard to the medium and long term.

Science is a very relevant activity in economic terms, which also has a very favourable social perception. However, Spain invests less in R&D than the rest of the European countries, confirming a gap between citizens' attitudes and the will of politicians and businesses.

On the global economic map drawn up by the financial crisis of 2008, the emerging countries are displacing the developed countries in the attracting of foreign investment in R&D. What factors influence this phenomenon and how does it affect countries such as Spain?