Acting Prime Minister of Spain, Socialist Party Pedro Sánchez won the parliament’s vote of confidence on Thursday by a margin.
At the center of the government negotiations was the amnesty of Catalan separatists promised by Sánchez. It’s about activists and politicians who took part six years ago in an anti-constitutional vote for the region’s independence.
179 representatives from the 350-seat parliament voted for Sánchez.
The security measures in front of the parliament were extremely tight on voting day.
In the capital Madrid, demonstrators have been protesting against the new government and the amnesty law for the second week. Thousands of right-wing and far-right supporters have gathered on the city’s streets.
Spain now has the most left-wing government in all of Europe, Barcelona Center for Foreign Policy Studies by.
listed three questions and answers about what is happening in Spain now:
1. What was the role of the Catalan nationalist parties in forming the government?
Without the support of the Catalan separatists, Sánchez would not have been able to get the number of seats needed to form a government.
In return, Sánchez promised to push through a law that would allow amnesty for those accused in the independence process.
The former regional leader of Catalonia, living in exile, pledged his support the longest Carles Puigdemont party Junts.
The party demands not only amnesty, but also a binding referendum on independence. So far, Sánchez is not promising anything like that.
Instead, Puigdemont will be able to return to Spain soon. He is also likely to seek a return as regional leader of Catalonia.
Although Junts lined up to support Sánchez, the party has major political differences with the left-wing coalition.
If they are not managed to be solved in the current government term, the term of the left-wing government may be short.
2. How will the new government affect the position of the extreme right in Spain?
Six years ago, the streets of Catalonia demonstrated for imprisoned Catalan politicians and activists.
Now the protests are against the amnesty of the accused and they are concentrated in the capital Madrid. The far-right Vox party has especially encouraged people to take to the streets of the capital.
Party leader Santiago Abascal has called Sánchez a “dictator who staged a coup”. Abascal compared the prime minister, among others To Hitler.
Madrid’s right-wing regional leader Isabel Díaz Ayuso called Sanchez last week as a traitor and a whore.
At far-right demonstrations, Catalan flags have been burned and Spanish unity has been demanded by the late right-wing dictator Francisco Franco respecting heritage.
Abascal’s Vox party grew in opposition to Catalan independence efforts. In the July elections, however, it suffered a defeat and lost its support to the right-wing People’s Party Partido Popular.
Now the parties are competing for the support of those Spaniards who oppose the concessions made to the Catalans.
The right-wing and extreme right-wing are also trying to stop the adoption of the amnesty law through the courts.
The two-day vote of confidence had to be held in Madrid amid extremely tight security measures.
The authorities were afraid that the protesters would try to interrupt the parliament session by force.
For protests that have already lasted almost two weeks so far there is no end in sight.
The police have arrested dozens of people in connection with the violence that occurred at the demonstrations.
3. What kind of policy does the Spanish left-wing government pursue?
Pedro Sánchez addressed the Spanish Parliament on both Wednesday and Thursday before the vote of confidence.
In his speeches, he promised e.g. free public transport for children, young people and the unemployed, and to continue reducing the VAT on food until at least June.
There will also be relief for mortgage debtors and the intention is to gradually reduce the weekly working time from 40 hours to 37.5 hours. Maternity and paternity leave will also be extended from sixteen to twenty weeks.
According to Sánchez, the victims of abuse cases within the Catholic Church will also be compensated and the cases will be thoroughly investigated, Sánchez promised.
The left-wing government that has been in power for the past four years has, among other things, reformed the trans law and expanded the right to abortion. Even in the new government term, equality issues are on the back burner.
Under Sánchez, Spain has hurt From 11th to 4th place in the European Equality Index, e.g. past Finland.
In his speech, Sánchez also mentioned the war in Gaza and Palestine.
The Prime Minister called for a ceasefire, humanitarian aid and recognition of the Palestinian Authority.