Top Stories

Spanish Politics

pensiones playita

Spanish economy, Spanish Politics 23rd December 2022

The Government will improve its offer on pensions – to increase the number of years calculated from 25 to 30 – to try to reach an agreement in January

The government takes it for granted that it will not be able to reach an agreement at the social dialogue table on the second part of the pension reform before 31 December, as it has promised the European Commission. However, government sources claim that the deadlines agreed with Brussels are “flexible” and that negotiations with the social partners could be extended during the first weeks of next year in order…

Montero

Spanish economy, Spanish Politics 22nd December 2022

The Treasury opens the door to dismissing civil servants who fail to meet targets and the unions are up in arms

The development of a point that was already foreseen in the Basic Statute of the Public Employee in 2007 and which caused a great stir at the time, namely the possibility of dismissing civil servants who do not adequately perform their duties, has opened a rift between the Ministry of Finance and two of the majority unions in the Civil Service (CC. OO. and UGT). This comes at a time…

PSOE

Spanish Politics 22nd December 2022

Joaquín Leguina, former socialist president of Madrid, appeals his expulsion from the PSOE, which he accuses of a lack of “tolerance of criticism”

Joaquín Leguina has appealed his expulsion from the PSOE, arguing that the party to which he has belonged for 45 years “has always been characterised by a high degree of tolerance for criticism and internal discrepancy”. And in the “freedom of conscience and expression” that “protects” him as a militant, the former president of the Community of Madrid bases his request for the disciplinary proceedings that have concluded with the…

SpainConstitucionalCourt

Spanish Politics 20th December 2022

The Constitutional Court upholds the right of minorities to participate in law-making and suspends the government’s express reform

In a scenario of unprecedented institutional crisis, the Constitutional Court agreed yesterday by a slim majority of its members (6 votes to 5) to paralyse the legal reform promoted by the Government parties in Parliament to change the functioning of both the General Council of the Judiciary and the High Court by express means. This reform allowed the Government majority to reduce the 3/5 majority required until now to appoint…

CesarAntonioMolina

Spanish Politics 15th December 2022

César Antonio Molina, former PSOE minister: “Sánchez is not a socialist, he is an autocrat”.

The digital newspaper El Debate publishes today an interview with Cesar Antonio Molina, Minister of Culture in the PSOE government of José Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. Q -It has come to our attention that several former PSOE ministers and deputies, both from the time of Felipe González and from the time of José Luís Rodríguez Zapatero, have signed a manifesto against the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, who is also…

Brave New Catalonia

Spanish Politics 13th December 2022

After eliminating the crime of sedition, the PSOE agrees with ERC to leave the embezzlement of pro-independence supporters unpunished

The reform of embezzlement agreed on Monday between the PSOE and ERC leaves a way open for some pro-independence leaders to avoid prison. Specifically, around 30 defendants accused of the pro-Crime, still awaiting trial, could avoid prison with the new text. These are the group of ex-officials and businessmen close to pro-independence supporters prosecuted by the 13th Court of Instruction of Barcelona for the preparations for the illegal referendum of…

covid19 dilemma

Spanish economy, Spanish Politics 2nd December 2022

Miguel Sebastián, former PSOE minister: “The management of the covid data has been disastrous”

The former Minister of Industry in the Socialist government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero will today present in Madrid his book “El virus interminable” (Ediciones B). In it he analyses the mistakes made during the pandemic and the pending issues in the event of a new health crisis of this type in our country. On this occasion, the newspaper La Razón interviewed him. Q- Could the management of the data…

SpainConstitucionalCourt

Spanish Politics 30th November 2022

Separation of powers, what the hell is that (*)?

Fernando González Urbaneja | This is what the government spokeswoman might say now – what the hell is this separation of powers? – about the appointment of two members of the Constitutional Court, a government quota, in favour of two former high-ranking officials with direct socialist affiliation or sympathy. Minister Bolaños, who is dealing with the matter on behalf of and with the confidence of Prime Minister Sánchez, argues that…

Congreso

Spanish economy, Spanish Politics 25th November 2022

A Debased Parliamentarism

Fernando González Urbaneja | What has been heard these days (and others) in Parliament (Congress and Senate) would make you cry, it goes beyond bad manners and rudeness; fortunately they have only been words, although degenerating could go further. It has already happened in other parliaments and it happened in ours a little less than a century ago. It is unimaginable today what he called the dialectic of the pistols,…

jsj3

Spanish economy, Spanish Politics 18th November 2022

The Government maintains the Basque quota (6.24%) and secures the PNV’s support for the budget

Although 41 years have already passed since the rate at which the Basque quota to the State was first agreed, there will be no changes for the next five-year period (22-27). The 6.24%, the percentage of Basque funding for the common expenses borne by the central Administration -defence, Royal House, embassies, etc.- is going to be maintained for another five years.This has been agreed in Madrid by the central and…