"Don't take the risk this time": partners pressure Sánchez over the emergency plan against the Iran war

MadridThe war in the Middle East dominated the question time session in the Congress of Deputies, with all eyes on Friday, when Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is scheduled to detail the measures to mitigate the economic effects of the conflict. While Yesterday, they were already warning from Moncloa. While the emergency plan would not be generalized—but rather targeted and focused on the most affected sectors—tensions within the plurinational majority regarding the Spanish government's response were already evident this Wednesday. Although the PNB (Basque Nationalist Party) has demanded tax cuts and insisted they not be combined with other "extreme" or "ideological" measures, Podemos is demanding that the government cap the price of food, rent, mortgages, and energy. Sumar, a coalition partner, is also pressuring the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) to include the housing issue in the decree-law, a matter that divides the majority in Congress. Sánchez has not yet specified the emergency plan (he will detail it himself on Friday and wants to await the conclusions of the European Council meeting this Thursday), but he has committed to negotiating measures to protect the most vulnerable. He has, however, called for responsibility from the plurinational majority in the face of the situation. It is expected that after the decree-law is approved on Friday in the extraordinary cabinet meeting, a vote will be held next Thursday in the Spanish parliament for its ratification. Sources at Moncloa Palace assure that they are in talks with all political groups and admit that they have to perform a "balancing act" to secure the necessary votes: "We have to find the magic formula." However, they are calling for "a broader perspective" in the face of this situation.

Before the plenary session began, the Minister of Social Rights, Pablo Bustinduy, reiterated the demand to extend rental contracts. "We have been fighting for months for this extension; it is a common-sense measure," he argued when asked about the issue. He also lamented the reservations shown by the PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party) from the outset: "I don't understand the reason for resisting protecting millions of tenants, and we will continue fighting until we achieve it." A few minutes earlier, the PSOE spokesperson in Congress, Patxi López, had avoided revealing what the decree would include: "We'll see on Friday."

The Socialist Party wants to prioritize "consensus"—in the words of Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo yesterday—and they understand that if housing-related issues are included, Junts or the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) could be left out of the majority. "Don't gamble this time," warned Maribel Vaquero, spokesperson for the Basque nationalists, "negotiate," because, she said, many families and self-employed workers depend on it. Both the PNV and Junts have presented their own measures to address the effects of the war, based on reducing VAT to 5% for essential energy supplies; a general deflation of personal income tax to combat inflation; and reinstating the Iberian exception to limit gas prices, along with subsidies for utilities for the most vulnerable families and fuel price reductions for certain sectors.

However, Podemos and Bildu are demanding more. Ione Belarra has demanded that Sánchez make "no to war" a reality by closing the Rota and Morón air bases, expelling the US military from Spain, and withdrawing from NATO. "Working people shouldn't pay for war; Repsol should pay for it," she asserted, adding that lowering taxes won't solve the problem: "We need to intervene in the market." Bildu spokesperson Oskar Matute echoed this sentiment in a question to Finance Minister María Jesús Montero: "Don't be afraid of the right wing. We need to reinstate the energy tax, cap the price of basic foodstuffs, extend rental contracts, and provide subsidies for utilities [...]. These are extreme measures, yes, but they are absolutely necessary."

Along the same lines, Compromís MP Alberto Ibáñez warned the PSOE that it is on the "wrong track" and urged the Socialists to promote housing measures: "There is no more important emergency than housing; what good is it for people to have heating in their homes if they don't have a home?" The Spanish government, however, has remained noncommittal and has simply stated that the aid package will try to please everyone in order to pass Congress. In any case, they also warn that different royal decrees can be issued, separating the measures to satisfy the coalition partners, but avoiding an omnibus package that would force the groups to vote on the entire package. In fact, the social safety net to help the most vulnerable pay their utility bills failed because it was included in the same decree as the suspension of evictions, which Junts rejects because it believes it transfers the problem from the administration to private entities.

Sánchez asks the PP to clarify its position on the war

The tensest exchange of the question time session, however, was, as usual, between Sánchez and Feijóo. Faced with accusations of being a "loser" from the Popular Party leader due to the PSOE's poor showing in the regional elections, the Spanish president touted the "consistency" of his foreign policy in defense of international law and criticized the PP for not clarifying its position on the Iran war: "You can't support those who start the fire and then complain about the effects. Correct yourself," Sánchez said, reproaching the PP for not standing up to Trump. "You say yes to war and no to aid," the Spanish president concluded. Feijóo said that if the Spanish government wants the support of the Popular Party, it shouldn't mix measures to address the Iran war with other issues: "Don't even think about bringing these measures together in an omnibus decree," he warned. And he urged him to "do the right thing" and "copy the measures" that the PP presented days ago, such as lowering income tax, the VAT on energy, taxes on all fuels, and professional diesel. "The majority of Spaniards don't want war; what we do want is for you to leave us in peace," he concluded.