Podcast Summary: "Tertulia: Con burkas y a lo loco" – Más de uno (OndaCero)

Date: February 18, 2026
Host: Carlos Alsina
Panelists: Juan de Dios Colmenero, Antonio Casado, Marta García, Rubén Amón, Ignacio Garriga, plus political guests

Overview

In this lively episode of "Más de uno", Carlos Alsina leads a roundtable ("tertulia") tackling the big news of the week with insight, irony, and critical thought. The main focus is the current Spanish political climate, including celebrations and controversies around the Constitution of 1978, the heated national debate over prohibiting the burka and niqab, the resignation of a senior police official accused of sexual misconduct, and the latest internal party maneuvers. The panel also reflects on the divides and identity crises plaguing the Spanish left.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Constitution’s “Anniversary” & Political Symbolism

[00:00–13:00]

• The episode opens on the Spanish press’s coverage of the supposed milestone for the 1978 Constitution, soon to become Spain's longest-standing.

• The hosts note the performative gestures (“saludo breve y frío” between Sánchez and González) and political absences (e.g., Abascal off to Rome with his ‘patriots’).

• Alsina highlights the irony of Podemos wearing T-shirts demanding constitutional compliance, only to be echoed by the King's speech (“Cumplirla” – [01:47]).

  “Al final, en lugar de echado pa’ lante, pues pareció que Podemos le hacía los coros al discurso del monarca con sus camisetas.” — Carlos Alsina [01:47]

• Critique of the government's delay in presenting new budgets, despite constitutional obligations, referencing past promises and the legal loophole of using extended budgets.

2. Scandals: WhatsApps & Contradictions

[02:22–13:00]

• Media coverage of politics by WhatsApp:

  • PSOE's alleged manipulation of primaries (with “rumanos” as last-minute affiliate voters)
  • Vox’s approval of party budgets by emoji in a WhatsApp group

• Alsina satirizes the superficiality of these processes.

  “En un minuto fueron capaces de ver los presupuestos y OK, OK, OK, pues ya está.” — Carlos Alsina [03:35]

• Borja Cabezón's dual roles in public office and private energy business are highlighted amid ongoing investigation.

3. Breaking News: Police Scandal & Political Fallout

[24:47–53:00]

• The tense resignation of the National Police’s number 2 (“DAO”), José Ángel González, after being accused of sexual assault.

• Discussion centers on the response from Interior Minister Marlaska, who claims ignorance until the news broke publicly.

  “Si hubiera habido algún conocimiento... la decisión que se tomó ayer, inmediatamente... se hubiera tomado previamente.” — Fernando Grande Marlaska [34:30]

• Debate over institutional (in)action, sexual abuse reporting, and whether ministerial “ignorance” signals incompetence or shielding.

  “No es ningún chollo... para una mujer dar este paso porque se la juzga, es un estigma, pone en riesgo su trabajo y su salud mental.” — Rubén Amón [39:25]

• The panel observes the broader problem of internal protocols failing to protect victims, both in politics and law enforcement.

4. The Burka/Niqab Controversy: Between Freedom & Oppression

[12:41–64:44] — Main segment

• Full-throated debate on the bill to prohibit the burka and niqab in public spaces, sparked by Vox and PP initiatives, and the left’s response.

Core Arguments:

• Rafa La Torre calls the burka and niqab “cárceles de tela” (cloth prisons), and “un discurso de odio andante” (walking hate speech), yet questions the efficacy and targeting of a ban:

  “Un burka o un niqab es un discurso de odio andante... una forma de decirle al mundo que... es un ser inferior.” — Rafa La Torre [12:17]

• The panel is sharply divided on whether the focus should be on "dignifying" women or on religious freedom and security.

• Rubén Amón: Critiques both left and right — the religious posturing of Vox and the left’s refusal to meaningfully address the issue; calls for legal precision:

  “¿Podemos consentir... que una mujer transite embozada? No, no podemos.” — Rubén Amón [55:05]

• Marta García: Stresses the irrelevance of a burka ban in Spain—where it's barely present—and notes the error of framing the burka as a symbol of freedom:

  "No encuentro adjetivos... el disparate mayor es que la izquierda... interprete el burka como instrumento de libertad." — Marta García [62:44]

• Antonio Casado: Expresses skepticism about Vox’s concern for women’s rights, asserts that “la dignidad femenina la tiene que decidir la mujer” (women decide their own dignity), and notes the left’s contradiction.

World Religion & Law Context:

• Consensus that burka/niqab are not required by Islam, citing diverse theological perspectives and European court precedents ([59:01]).
• Debate on the balance between individual freedom, societal norms, and state intervention, extending to analogies with nudity and genital mutilation laws.

5. The Fractured Left: Identity and Narrative Crisis

[65:57–68:55]

• Brief but pointed discussion of the Spanish left’s fragmentation and shifting focus as leaders like Rufián pivot from identity politics (LGTBIQ) to broader appeals, sometimes clumsily.

  “La izquierda tiene un problemón: la fragmentación, los grupos subgrupos, grupitos y subgrupitos.” — Antonio Casado [67:22]

• Questioning of terms like “extrema izquierda” and the strategic divisions between plurinationalist and traditional left strands.

• Panelists agree much of the squabbling is about electoral survival and personal branding rather than ideological substance.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On constitutional health:
  "Me parece de lo mejorcito que tenemos... nos salva de una situación de polarización." — Juan de Dios Colmenero [16:02]

• On legislative inertia:
  “Lo que no es legal es no presentar presupuestos al Congreso.” — Carlos Alsina [19:10]

• On sexual assault scandals:
  “La defensa de la condición femenina se convierta en un intercambio de pedradas... se deberían entender en este objetivo que es común: eliminar de la vida pública a los agresores.” — Antonio Casado [41:53]

• On the burka:
  “No es habitual el burka en España... este debate esconde el debate sobre el velo musulmán.” — Marta García [61:43]

• On the left:
  “Este espacio se ha estrechado muchísimo... hay que ser cabeza de lista o número 2 para seguir en el Congreso.” — Marta García [68:25]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Opening analysis & Constitution coverage: [00:00–13:00]
• WhatsApp political scandals and party finances: [02:22–13:00]
• Debate on longevity & fragmentation of Constitution: [13:44–22:56]
• DAO sexual assault scandal: [24:47–53:14]
• Burka/niqab, religious freedom & left–right divides: [12:41–64:44]
• Fragmented left; Rufián, identity debates: [65:57–68:55]

Tone & Language

The episode blends sharp critique with caustic humor, typical of Alsina and the panel. Complex issues are unpacked with respect for nuance, but no sacred cows are spared. The language is direct, at times irreverent, but consistently aims for clarity and engagement.

Summary for New Listeners

This episode is an excellent primer on Spain’s current political tensions: it examines not only the grandstanding and contradiction in public life—from constitutional anniversary PR to institutional accountability crises—but also the heated, symbolic debates over religion, gender, and identity. The panel’s exchanges on the burka bill reflect the broader European conversation on integration, secularism, and women’s rights, exposing the inconsistencies on all sides. Meanwhile, the examination of parliamentary and police scandals demonstrates both widespread institutional malaise and a slowly strengthening culture of accountability. Finally, scrutiny of the Spanish left's disarray underlines the urgent questions facing progressive politics—in Spain and beyond.