From declassifying secrets to underage drinking: the main laws that Junts wants to veto

BarcelonaTogether for Change announced on Thursday that it will veto all laws the Spanish government brings to Congress, as well as those already under consideration in the lower house. It has only saved five: those that Carles Puigdemont's party had previously agreed upon with the Spanish government—the film law, the customer service law, the social economy law, and the sustainable mobility law, in addition to the royal decree on ALS patients. Which are the main laws it will prevent from passing?

Bolaños Law

This is one of the most important pieces of legislation for Pedro Sánchez's term. It concerns... the judicial reform promoted by the Minister of Justice, Félix Bolañoswhose main purpose, according to the Spanish government, is to depoliticize the State Attorney General's Office. The reform incorporates significant changes, such as transferring the direction of criminal investigations to prosecutors rather than judges, as has been the case until now. Within this legislation, the executive branch has also included extending the term of the State Attorney General to five years, thus decoupling it from the four-year legislative term. The main associations of judges and prosecutors have opposed the reform, as has the People's Party (PP). Together, they would also prevent the Socialist Party's (PSOE) proposed law known as the Begoña Law from being enacted. This law includes limiting private prosecutions in legal cases—prohibiting political parties from bringing them, for example—but it lacks the support of a majority of its coalition partners. Official Secrets Act

The Spanish government unblocked the Official Secrets Act a few weeks ago and, like the Bolaños Act, it is ready for processing in Congress. This legislation, also promoted by Minister Félix Bolaños, reforms the Franco-era Official Secrets Act, which is still in force in Spain and prevents the declassification of secret documents. The law establishes declassification periods based on the level of protection of each document, ranging from 5 to 45 years. However, The partners had requested changes to the rule to shorten these periods.Together, they also wouldn't pass the electoral law reform to make electoral debates mandatory and require the publication of microdata from opinion polls. Furthermore, they also include the transposition of a European directive on the definition of offenses and penalties for violating European Union restrictive measures, and the law that aims to extend the electronic voting system already used by members of parliament to local councils. Law on alcohol consumption by minors

The Council of Ministers in March left it ready to be processed in Congress the law that should prevent alcohol consumption by minorsThe law included restrictions to delay the age of initiation of alcohol consumption, such as prohibiting adults from drinking alcohol in spaces where there is a "majority" presence of minors, such as schools, sports centers, or leisure facilities. It also aimed to limit advertising and adopt awareness campaigns, in addition to prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages in establishments dedicated to selling products to minors. Within the package of healthcare regulations that Junts plans to veto, there is also the law on the universality of the National Health System, which seeks to eliminate barriers to accessing public healthcare for both Spanish citizens living abroad and foreigners who come to Spain regardless of their immigration status or status as undocumented immigrants.

Industry Law and the National Energy Commission

Among the economic regulations are the following: the law for the reestablishment of the National Energy CommissionThis measure reinstates the National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC) – which was dissolved in 2013 under the PP government – as the regulator of the electricity sector. Consequently, the CNMC would lose its current powers to supervise energy markets. This would also paralyze... the industry law, which, among other actions, was trying to stop the relocation of companies.

Law on Universities and Families

The Spanish government approved it earlier this month. The university law, which aims to tighten the requirements for creating, recognizing, and authorizing new universitiesThis premise is especially aimed at private universities, which are very numerous in Madrid. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez spoke directly of "university scams." To begin with, the regulation stipulates that newly created universities must have a favorable report from the state quality assurance agency, which is under the Spanish government. Without this endorsement, the project will not move forward.

Neither would the family law, which regulates collective actions in defense of consumers, nor the law on the social and labor inclusion of people with disabilities see the light of day. This is the complete list of the laws that Junts has announced it will veto:

• Family Law
• Law on the universality of the National Health System
• Law to consolidate equity and cohesion of the National Health System
• Law for the reestablishment of the National Energy Commission
• Business reporting law on sustainability
• Industry and Strategic Autonomy Law
• Law on collective actions for the defense of consumers
• Law on administrators and purchasers of credits
• Law on the prevention of alcohol consumption by minors
• Organic law on the general electoral system
• Law on the social inclusion of people with disabilities
• Classified Information Law
• Digital services law and regulation of the media
• Law on liability for damages arising from infringement of European Union law
• Law to prevent reduflation
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Act
• Law to modify the university system
• Law on the labor inclusion of people with disabilities
• Law for the protection of freedom of expression
• Law on universal jurisdiction
• Law on foreign trade and defense matters
• Law for the transposition of EU directive 2024/1226
• Law for the control, inspection and sanctioning regime of maritime fishing
• Law for the regulation of electronic voting in the transfers of the governing bodies of public administrations