LIVE | Pedro Sánchez: the Spanish Congress re-elects the socialist as president of the Government

Pedro Sanches This Thursday, barring a big surprise, he will receive the confidence of Spanish deputies to continue leading a country deeply divided over his decision to grant an amnesty law to Catalan independence activists in exchange for their support. In power since 2018, the socialist secured the votes of 179 deputies in a last-minute vote scheduled for this Thursday, a number higher than the absolute majority set at 176. Once invested by the deputies, Sánchez will be able to form a new Government in Spain in the next days with his allies from the far-left Sumar coalition, putting an end to almost four months of blockade since the legislative elections on 23 July.

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Sánchez defended on Wednesday the amnesty he agreed with the Catalan independence activists in exchange for their support to obtain a new mandate at the head of the Spanish government, under harsh accusations from the right-wing opposition.

“We put reunion before revenge. In short, from unity to fracture,” he stated. Sanchez, in power since 2018, during his inauguration speech before the Congress of Deputies. The future amnesty law, which aims to turn the page on Catalonia’s 2017 secession attempt, “will benefit many people, political leaders whose ideas I do not share and whose actions I reject”, he admitted.

But it is necessary to close the wounds opened by this “political crisis that no one can be proud of”, he continued, guaranteeing that he intends to guarantee “the unity of Spain through dialogue and forgiveness”.

LOOK: What Pedro Sánchez said at the beginning of the debate for his investiture in the Spanish Congress

The debate, which began at noon and lasted nine and a half hoursmarked the first of two days of the investmentwhich will end on Thursday with the vote that, except for one capital surprise, will elevate Sánchez to the presidency of the government for a new term.

In his speech, which lasted one hour and 45 minutes, The socialist defended the constitutionality of this measurewhich it has opposed in the past, and called on the right – which on Sunday mobilized hundreds of thousands of people who oppose the amnesty – to show “responsibility”.

Pedro Sánchez speaks at the Congress of Deputies. (EFE/Javier Lizón).

Absolute majority

Sanchezwhich in the July legislative elections came in second place behind Alberto Núñez Feijóofrom the Popular Party (PP, conservative), but managed to secure support to remain in power.

Unlike the right-wing leader, who did not get the votes to be sworn in, The socialist leader has obtained a commitment to support him from numerous political groups in recent weeks.

Sánchez will count on the votes of the radical left on Thursdaywith which he has governed for three years, after committing to increase the minimum wage again and reduce the length of the work week from 40 to 37.5 hours.

He socialist 51 years old also reached the promise of support from the Basque parties PNV and Bilduas well as Catalan independence groups, Together for Catalonia (Together), in Carlos Puigdemont, It is Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC).

In total, 179 votes are guaranteed in favor of the 350 deputies in Congress.

But the amnesty claimed, among others, by Carles Puigdemont, who fled to Belgium in 2017 to avoid Spanish justice, raised a strong division in Spanish society and created doubts about Sánchez’s ability to govern calmly.

Riots following the demonstration against amnesty on Wednesday on Ferraz Street, in Madrid, next to the PSOE headquarters. (EFE/ Borja Sánchez-Trillo). (Borja Sánchez-Trillo/)

Vox compares Sánchez to Hitler or Chávez

For ten days, daily rallies led by the extreme right have been held in front of the Socialist Party headquarters in Madrid, which sometimes degenerated into episodes of violence. He PP It is Voxwhich he called “resistance”, plan to multiply legal appeals against the amnesty.

“They want a resigned and silent Spain, but they won’t achieve it”, he promised. Núñez Feijó in his speech at the inauguration session, predicting that “amnesty will not improve coexistence”.

Feijóo accused Sánchez of “political corruption” because, he argued, “making decisions against the general interest in exchange for personal benefits has no other name”.

The leader of the far-right party Vox, Santiago Abascal accused Sánchez of carrying out “a coup d’état” and compared him to Hitler, or to former Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez and his successor, Nicolás Maduro.

“They will disguise this coup in the garb of legality, They also don’t invent anything new. In the same way, with appearances of legality, nefarious characters such as Hugo Chávez, Maduro or Hitler came to power”, he stated, before the president of the Congress I would call him to place the order.

Due to the tension surrounding this endowment, More than 1,600 police officers – according to the Ministry of the Interior – were mobilized around Parliament, in a device equivalent to a high-risk football match.

Sánchez “is selling Spain” to the Catalan independence activists, said Belén Valdeza protester wrapped in a Spanish flag, along with a few dozen people located behind the police cordon established at a considerable distance from Congress.

Source: Elcomercio