The European Parliament calls for extending the 'only yes means yes' principle to the entire EU (with the votes of the PP)

BrusselsNew attempt by the European Parliament to include the concept of consent in the EU's directive on gender-based violence. The European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties and Women's Rights has approved, by 75 votes in favor, 27 against, and three abstentions, a report advocating for a legal reform that, in practice, would largely extend the Spanish law of only yes means yes throughout the European Union.

The report's approval comes after the Council of the European Union, the EU body representing member states, I would have had it just two years ago The European Parliament's desire to include a common definition of rape that includes explicit consent in sexual relations has been evident. However, with Wednesday's vote, the EU chamber has resumed the fight and is now pressuring the European Commission, led by the conservative Ursula von der Leyen, to finally agree to add "the concept of informed and revocable consent" to the directive on gender-based violence. In fact, a review of the legislation is scheduled for 2027. It should be remembered that while Spain was one of the most supportive European partners, France and Germany refused to include this concept of consent in EU legislation. In the end, the Franco-German axis, along with the support of other partners, prevailed.

Specifically, the report adopted by the European Parliament advocates for a "common definition" of rape across the European Union based on the "concept of informed and revocable consent." Furthermore, the text emphasizes that "silence, lack of verbal or physical resistance, or the absence of a No"cannot be interpreted as a YeahIt also calls for guaranteeing that all European citizens have legal access to abortion, 24-hour care centers, and increased awareness campaigns against gender-based violence.

The PP votes in favor and Podemos claims victory

The report has been approved despite this being the European Parliament with the most right-wing and far-right representatives in history. The surprise has been that, despite the PP's opposition to the State and the law... only yes means yesThe conservatives—both Spanish and European—voted in favor of including the "concept of informed and revocable consent" in legislation across the European Union. In fact, the only MEP groups that voted against processing the report were the far-right ones.

Sources within the People's Party (PP) argue that it is a party that "has always defended the real protection of women" and that "has remained firm in its defense of..." Istanbul Convention"[the legal document that obliges states to implement policies against gender-based violence], which reflects that "consent must be clear, affirmative, and unequivocal." However, the same popular sources deny that this is a defense of extending the Spanish law on only yes means yes throughout the European bloc.

On the contrary, one of the parties that has most celebrated the outcome of the report's vote has been Podemos, which promoted the law on only yes means yes in the State. "The [Spanish] sexual freedom law was pioneering and has paved the way in an EU that is moving forward to guarantee women's right to sexual freedom," say sources in the European Parliament from the purple party. Similarly, Republican MEP Diana Riba, who was the rapporteur for the report, welcomed the processing of the text and described it as an "extremely important step that neither the European Commission nor the Council of the EU can ignore."