Budgets and general unease
Budgets, that is, resources allocated in an orderly and stable manner, clearly stated, for implementation this year. In other words, we need stability and budgets. The Left, meanwhile, remains silent. It knows that everyone is waiting for its decision, and when you're in the spotlight, you're considered centrist. Junqueras, understandably frustrated by his continued disqualification from holding public office because the amnesty hasn't been applied to him (meaning he couldn't run in elections if Illa were to call early ones), is attacking Illa where it hurts most: the budget.
Teachers are continuing their week-long strikes today, and this morning they received the support of farmers in the Terres de l'Ebre region. There are so many sectoral grievances (teachers, peasants, Renfe users(public healthcare users, those aspiring to rent an apartment…) that the unease is widespread. And if you look up at the world, this unease transforms into anguish, not only because of the price of oil or making ends meet—which is a real struggle—but also because of the survival of democracy and, at times, of humanity itself. This is the socio-emotional portrait of society right now. We all operate within this ecosystem of general malaise.
In Catalonia, as you know, we're waiting to find out whether the Catalan government will be able to begin processing the budget it presented to Parliament on Friday, or if Esquerra's comprehensive amendment will render it unfeasible. If Illa decided not to back down when he presented the budget to Parliament without guaranteed votes, Junqueras has responded in kind: if there isn't a public commitment from the PSOE that the Generalitat will collect 100% of the personal income tax, There will be no budgetsWith three days to go, I think it's safe to say that nobody knows how this will end. Meanwhile, President Illa is using every opportunity to make appeals linking budgets to stability.
Salvador Illa: "Stability to be able to carry out government action, shared prosperity, investments in health policies, 13 billion euros in health policies in the substantial project we have presented. And budgets, that is, resources in an orderly and stable manner, clearly defined, so that we can implement them this year. In other words, what we need."
The Left, meanwhile, remains silent. It knows everyone is waiting for its decision, and when you're in the spotlight, you're in the center. Junqueras, understandably frustrated by his continued disqualification from holding public office because the amnesty hasn't been applied to him (meaning he couldn't run in elections if Illa were to call early ones), is attacking Illa where it hurts most: the budget. In recent hours, there's been speculation that the government might return the budget before Thursday to avoid its defeat, allowing both sides to buy time until the Andalusian elections are over and the budget can be approved in June, half a year later. This is when politics and the people are completely disconnected. Remember: we all operate within this ecosystem of general discontent.
Good morning.
