The opposition targets Paneque for the commuter rail chaos

BarcelonaPressure on the government and the state executive is steadily increasing as a result of the commuter rail crisisAnd now ERC has decided to take a step that primarily complicates matters for Salvador Illa, but also implicates Pedro Sánchez. In a press conference this Sunday, the president of ERC, Oriol Junqueras, directly demanded the resignation of the Minister of Territory, Silvia Paneque, for her handling of the situation, as well as that of the Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente. "In practical terms, both Minister Paneque and Minister Puente have abdicated their responsibilities," said Junqueras, accusing them of being "more focused on finding temporary excuses" than "solutions." Junqueras demanded that Paneque and Puente "resign for their manifest inability to address" the railway crisis and "comment on it." "We ask them to be consistent; if they have already abdicated their responsibilities in practice, they should also formally resign," he concluded. This shift in political landscape leaves the Catalan government in a particularly delicate position, given that ERC is a key partner of Illa, along with Comuns. In fact, the Republicans have now decided to join, for the first time, the opposition's call to oust a key minister, who is also the public face of the government as spokesperson. Paneque has lost the support of Illa's main investiture partner, which has joined the other opposition groups. Junqueras commented on the minister, saying that she "wanted to protect the Spanish state from its disinvestments" and that a replacement is needed "who would point out where the responsibilities lie." Former president and Junts leader Carles Puigdemont echoed this forceful sentiment on Saturday, emphasizing that the minister has already had too many "opportunities" which she has used to demonstrate her "incompetence." He also said that "the same" things he had said about the Catalan government applied to Madrid, referring to Paneque's resignation. Esquerra has tried to bring down Paneque, and this pressure tactic puts the minister in a delicate position, as she is also being directly targeted by a key partner. The opposition, from Junts to the CUP, PP, Vox, and Alianza, with Comuns distancing itself, had called for Paneque to resign in March. the special plenary session on Commuter RailThe difference is that at that time, ERC did not demand her resignation—only the youth wing deputy did, which allowed the censure motion to pass. The hot potato will now fall to Isla, who must decide whether to dismiss the strongwoman of the executive branch as a concession to the current complex situation, while at the same time it could be a sign of weakness for the PSC's minority government. As for Puente, Sánchez has protected him by ruling out his resignation from the outset, despite pressure from the PP and Vox. In an event in Aragon, the Spanish president defended the minister, stating that he "has been managing and facing the music from the very beginning of this tragedy." The PP accuses him of "lying" in his explanations about the maintenance and renewal of the tracks and insists on demanding his resignation, but Sánchez has given him his full support. Along the same lines, he affirmed that the Spanish government is working "night and day" in contact with the Generalitat to resolve the Catalan rail crisis.

However, Junqueras has clarified that he is not making the commuter rail crisis contingent on the budget negotiations, insisting that what is needed is a "fundamental" agreement for the collection of personal income tax.

Tolls removed, alternative service and teleworking

"We are not here to demand everyone's resignation and do nothing else," warned the Republican leader, pointing out that the country cannot continue to be "paralyzed" as it is now. In this regard, he stressed the need to reopen the AP-7 highway, all possible train lines, and to implement an effective alternative bus service. He also stated that while this situation lasts, tolls such as the one on the C-32—which the Catalan government will keep open, at least until Wednesday—and the Vallvidrera tunnel must be lifted, an option also demanded by the mayor of Sant Cugat del Vallès, Josep Maria Vallès. Furthermore, Junqueras insisted that teleworking must be facilitated whenever possible. That is why he has also lashed out at the Minister of Business and Labor, Miquel Sàmper, for "making statements about tourism at Fitur" instead of focusing on promoting teleworking and helping workers affected by the rail chaos.

The leader of the Republicans emphasized the lack of investment in Catalonia, a problem "that has persisted for decades," and added that both the "five-year railway investment plan" and the investment consortium his party intends to secure are essential. However, regarding Puigdemont's criticism of the mixed transfer agreement reached by the Republicans for the commuter rail network, he defended the pact and said that "tweets" and "farce" are more successful in swaying public opinion than solutions.

More criticism from the parties

The CUP also criticized the government's "disastrous handling" of the commuter rail crisis this weekend, accusing it of "exacerbating people's real problems," according to MP Xavi Pellicer. This harsh criticism aligns with the calls for resignation that have been emphasized for months. The Popular Party reiterated that the government is "out of service" with a "permanent collapse," according to spokesperson Juan Fernández, while Jéssica Albiach of Comuns warned that "the Catalan government cannot be a spectator, an arbiter in the history of Renfe," creating "chaos" and a "national pact." Comuns also insisted that Puente "must face the music" regarding the responsibilities under his purview. Vox has also demanded a wave of resignations from the Government and the regional executive, which they blame for the deaths and injuries in the Adamuz accident, and Aliança Catalana has demanded the return of season tickets. In this case, Silvia Orriols' party did not insist on Paneque's resignation, although they had already requested it previously.