Spain to Vote on Decree Addressing Tariff Impacts Amidst Political Tensions
The decree, aimed at mitigating the consequences of U.S. tariffs, faces potential challenges in the Congress vote scheduled for Thursday.
On Thursday, the Spanish Congress will vote on a decree aimed at alleviating the economic consequences of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.
The decree has been in effect since April 9, published in the Official State Gazette (BOE).
The outcome appears uncertain as the opposition party, the People's Party (PP), has announced its intention to vote against the decree, while the left-wing party Podemos plans to abstain unless certain legislative conditions are met.
The decree seeks to provide support to sectors adversely affected by these tariffs, with expectations of securing a narrow approval in Congress.
If everything proceeds without unexpected developments, the ruling coalition, comprising the Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), Sumar, Esquerra Republicana, Junts, Bildu, PNV, BNG, and Coalición Canaria, is anticipated to gather 174 votes in favor, surpassing the 171 votes against from the PP, Vox, and UPN.
The potential support could rise to 175 votes if former Socialist Minister José Luis Ábalos, now part of the Mixed Group, decides to agree.
The government, led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, has made efforts to engage with various parliamentary groups to present its measures to assist affected sectors, notably excluding Vox from discussions.
Initially, there seemed to be a collaborative tone between Economy Minister Carlos Cuervo and the PP. However, subsequent agreements, such as one with Junts that allocates approximately 25% of subsidies based on the level of exports from Catalonia, have distanced the PP from supporting the decree.
The PP has criticized the government's approach as one reliant on 'debt, loans, and guarantees' without presenting a comprehensive plan.
The decree proposes mobilizing €7.72 billion for affected companies through guarantees from the Official Credit Institute (ICO) and further funding to support the internationalization of Spanish businesses.
Juan Bravo, the PP's vice-secretary of economy, stated that the government dismissed their alternative proposals, leading to increased tensions.
Ione Belarra, the Secretary General of Podemos, announced that her party would abstain from voting unless provisions for the expropriation of homes owned by U.S. investment funds are included in the legislative process.
She criticized the government's military spending priorities and argued that substantial funds allocated for military enhancements should instead be directed towards energy security, healthcare, and housing.
She further described the government's decree against tariffs as ineffective, asserting it will not adequately protect the productive sector or workers.
The decree has been in effect since April 9, published in the Official State Gazette (BOE).
The outcome appears uncertain as the opposition party, the People's Party (PP), has announced its intention to vote against the decree, while the left-wing party Podemos plans to abstain unless certain legislative conditions are met.
The decree seeks to provide support to sectors adversely affected by these tariffs, with expectations of securing a narrow approval in Congress.
If everything proceeds without unexpected developments, the ruling coalition, comprising the Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), Sumar, Esquerra Republicana, Junts, Bildu, PNV, BNG, and Coalición Canaria, is anticipated to gather 174 votes in favor, surpassing the 171 votes against from the PP, Vox, and UPN.
The potential support could rise to 175 votes if former Socialist Minister José Luis Ábalos, now part of the Mixed Group, decides to agree.
The government, led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, has made efforts to engage with various parliamentary groups to present its measures to assist affected sectors, notably excluding Vox from discussions.
Initially, there seemed to be a collaborative tone between Economy Minister Carlos Cuervo and the PP. However, subsequent agreements, such as one with Junts that allocates approximately 25% of subsidies based on the level of exports from Catalonia, have distanced the PP from supporting the decree.
The PP has criticized the government's approach as one reliant on 'debt, loans, and guarantees' without presenting a comprehensive plan.
The decree proposes mobilizing €7.72 billion for affected companies through guarantees from the Official Credit Institute (ICO) and further funding to support the internationalization of Spanish businesses.
Juan Bravo, the PP's vice-secretary of economy, stated that the government dismissed their alternative proposals, leading to increased tensions.
Ione Belarra, the Secretary General of Podemos, announced that her party would abstain from voting unless provisions for the expropriation of homes owned by U.S. investment funds are included in the legislative process.
She criticized the government's military spending priorities and argued that substantial funds allocated for military enhancements should instead be directed towards energy security, healthcare, and housing.
She further described the government's decree against tariffs as ineffective, asserting it will not adequately protect the productive sector or workers.
Translation:
Translated by AI
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
