Sánchez draws for himself a pre-campaign of social measures

MadridAlthough officially there is less than a month left before the electoral campaign begins—on November 13th—the feeling since Pedro Sánchez called the general elections for November 29th is that the race to remain, in the case of the socialists, and to achieve, in the case of the opposition, the Moncloa has begun. And Sánchez has drawn it with the banner of social measures as his insignia. Beyond the promise to raise the interprofessional minimum wage (SMI) or to revalue pensions with inflation, Sánchez has already put improvements for university students on the table. This Monday, he announced 45 million euros to expand the supply of university residence places, as well as the approval of a new University Student Statute that will update the 2010 Statute, the first one that was drafted in democracy. Both measures will be approved this Tuesday in the Council of Ministers and do not have to go through Congress, so the Permanent Deputation will not come into play.

It is not the first time that Pedro Sánchez's PSOE has focused on everything related to the defense of the welfare state—social services such as public healthcare or education—and economic management to set the agenda before a state election. The 2023 strategy, beyond clashing with the right and the far-right and warning of the "dangers" of their advance, was also this one. "I do not announce, I act," Sánchez stated at the time, when he was announcing a measure at an electoral event. When he called the elections on October 5th, he warned that the executive "will continue to govern until the elections."

This Tuesday's, then, will be the first of a series of council of ministers meetings that are expected to be loaded with social and economic measures. In fact, the Spanish government's intention is to also approve a royal decree-law with changes regarding some social benefits for widows and victims of gender-based violence, according to government sources. The scope of all of them, however, is limited considering that Congress is dissolved and that the Permanent Delegation can only approve matters of urgency and general interest.

New student rights

The University Student Statute recognizes new rights and obligations for students. For example, it boosts their participation and representation in university bodies, promotes mobility, emphasizes the need for psychological support in centers, reinforces digital disconnection, and improves tutoring and internship systems, among other things, as explained by the Ministry of Science and Universities.

"Today we give an example of how, from very different visions, we can reach an agreement in which we all feel recognized," Sánchez defended this morning during the presentation of the declaration for a new statute. Sánchez also focused on the fact that it is a pact that contemplates the different realities of students and that: "All [students] deserve a university that understands, accompanies, and protects them. Talent is distributed, but opportunities, unfortunately, are not always so. Our obligation is to ensure that no personal, family, or economic circumstance poses an obstacle to anyone being able to go far," he defended.

Regarding the 45 million euros to "boost" university residences, Sánchez said they will be allocated to seven concrete projects that will be launched "soon," although he did not specify an execution calendar. In a first phase, it is expected that 2,000 places will be created throughout the State, said Sánchez, without giving further details. The measure is closely linked to the housing crisis, the other major banner of Pedro Sánchez in these elections and, in fact, the reason why the calling of the elections was anticipated: the defeat in Congress of the housing decrees following the Maricarmen case.

In the afternoon, at a rally in Valladolid, the leader of the PSOE committed to raising the minimum wage every year he is in La Moncloa and asked for the vote to "protect the social rights achieved" in recent years: "There are only two models of society, one that protects and one that leaves people out in the cold," he proclaimed.