On Wednesday, the Spanish Senate is slated to vote on a reform of its regulations spearheaded by the Popular Party (PP).

This reform aims to strengthen the oversight mechanisms over the government, which the PP describes as a response to a "worrisome deterioration" in the administration's fulfillment of its political accountability obligations.

If enacted, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will be required to appear before the Senate at least once a month for scrutiny.

The Prime Minister has not presented himself to the Senate for over a year, according to official sources.

Additionally, his ministers have also demonstrated a pattern of absence, raising concerns among opposition parties regarding governmental transparency and accountability.

Sánchez has not granted interviews to Spanish media in nearly a year and has avoided answering questions at press conferences for the past month and a half.

The proposed Article 164 of the Senate regulations explicitly states: "The Prime Minister shall respond to questions in a plenary session of the Chamber at least once a month during regular session periods, unless justified reasons notified to the Chamber prevent this."

Under this new provision, the Senate's governing body will determine the number of questions directed to the Prime Minister during each plenary session, as well as the distribution of questions among different political groups and the timing for response.

The consideration of this reform project, along with alternative proposals, will take place in the Senate on Wednesday.

The PP holds an absolute majority in the upper chamber, which suggests that this initiative will be passed, effectively sidelining proposals from nationalist and independence groups that advocate for the use of co-official languages in all Senate proceedings.

The preamble of the reform highlights a growing concern about the government's regular engagement with political controls in the Senate.

The PP has criticized Sánchez’s non-appearance and the frequent absence of ministers from Senate sessions.

Consequently, the government will be required to justify any absences with at least 24 hours' notice.

Furthermore, parliamentary groups will have the opportunity to express their opinions regarding the sufficiency of the justifications for any minister's absence, as well as a designated time at the beginning of each session to ensure this is documented, described by sources as a potential deterrent.

Senators will also be able to request that any other government member respond to their inquiries if the appropriate minister is not present at the session; there will be no possibility of postponement due to absence.

In addition to this reform, nationalist and independence parties have proposed an alternative seeking to integrate co-official languages, such as Catalan, Basque, and Galician, equally with Spanish in all oral and written works of the Senate.

They also demand budget provisions for the purchase of translation equipment and the hiring of translators and interpreters, along with ensuring that all communications and documentation, including website content, are published in all recognized languages.

The PP has firmly opposed this alternative language reform, maintaining a stance against any changes to language policy in the Senate.

The proposed amendments include other significant changes to Senate regulations.

Senators will now be required to take their oaths only with the phrases "I swear" or "I promise," eliminating creative variations.

Declarations of activities, assets, and economic interests will be mandatory for senators, to be submitted at the beginning of the legislative session and updated with any changes.

Non-compliance will be flagged and publicly disclosed.

The reform also simplifies the process for initiating parliamentary investigations, allowing either the government or 25 senators to request them without requiring diverse group membership.

These investigations can compel the attendance of any individual, excluding judges and magistrates, regarding matters related to their judicial duties.

The Senate President will have the authority to interrupt debates if any remarks compromise the dignity of a political group or party, providing a three-minute response time for rebuttals.

Telematic voting will be facilitated in various circumstances, including pregnancy, health, and other authorized absences.

In situations where a legislative proposal is rejected by an absolute majority, it will effectively serve as a veto from the Senate.

This aims to address concerns regarding the viability of Senate proposals, such as those linked to benefits for imprisoned members of the Basque terrorist group ETA, which the PP argues have been systematically obstructed by the Congress.

The new regulations also incorporate measures to counter what the PP has dubbed the "Armengol freezer," referring to legislative proposals stalled by the Congressional President despite passage in the Senate.

If a proposal is unduly delayed, a parliamentary group or 25 senators can propose a conflict of powers to the plenary session.

The government must confirm which ministers will attend the Senate at least 24 hours before questions can be submitted, accompanied by adequate justifications for any absences.

Written questions directed at the government are required to receive responses within 20 days, with an option for a 20-day extension upon the government's justified request and subsequent approval by the governing body.

The reform touches on nearly fifty articles of the Senate regulations, aiming to limit the government's intervention times and enabling recourse to the Constitutional Court in case of congressional blockages.

The PP's initiative highlights a desire for the Senate to have increased authority in effectively opposing the Executive.

The voting on the proposed reform is scheduled for Wednesday.

Should it be approved, Pedro Sánchez will be obligated to present himself before the Senate at least once a month in the coming sessions, as the new regulations will take effect following their approval and official publication.