Return to activity at the Congress of Deputies. This Tuesday, starting at eleven o’clock in the morning, the Permanent Deputation met at the Carrera de San Jerónimo. On the agenda: ten requests for appearance registered throughout the summer by the Popular Party.
Among them, three addressed directly to the President of the Government, so that he can explain before the plenary session – soon – the management of the migration crisis in Ceuta and the Canary Islands, Spain’s position on electoral fraud in Venezuela and the second flight of Carles Puigdemont of Justice.
By the hair, the Popular Group failed to triumphantly start the political course in the Cortes. The PNV has refused to support all the demands for Pedro Sánchez to go to the Lower House. His vote was decisive, since in today’s vote, the Mixed Group – which has the tie-breaking power in hand – was represented by Podemos, which also avoided dealing a blow to the head of the Executive.
The PP has once again broken the so-called “investiture majority”, obtaining the support of Junts for several requests, which once again reveals the parliamentary weakness of the government. The pro-independence party has decided to support one of the three requests for Sánchez’s appearance made by the PP: the one regarding the arrival of migrants at our borders.
Another point supported by Junts is the popular demand that Maria Jesus MonteroFirst Vice-President of the Government and Head of the Treasury, told the House about the Catalan quota agreed between the CPS and the ERC for the investiture of Salvador Illa.
During the parliamentary session, the spokesman of the popular parties in Congress, Miguel Telladodisfigured the refusal of the Basque nationalists to support their initiatives. Especially the one concerning Venezuela: “They say they are attached to the cause of freedom in Venezuela, Explain to your constituents why you will not support our petition today for Sanchez to explain Spain’s position regarding what is happening in Venezuela.”
The popular spokesman also harshly criticized the executive for its “lukewarmness towards the Chavista regime” and the “thunderous silence” of Sánchez. “Do they have anything to do with Delcy Rodríguez’s suitcases? With Zapatero’s economic interests? With ideological proximity?” he asked.
For its part, on the left, the PSOE criticized the Popular Party for following a strategy that “does not help Venezuela or its democracy.” Socialist MP Sergio Gutiérrez stressed that “the will of the Venezuelan people, expressed in the elections, must be respected.” And that “no country, neither the EU nor Spain, will recognize results without verified records.”
For the rest, the Congress debated the requests for the PP to appear: the Minister of Transport, Oscar Bridgebecause of the railway chaos; the Minister of Equality, Ana Redondodue to the effects of the Trans law; and the presidents of RTVE and EFE, for the “partisan bias” and “lack of neutrality” of these media “in monitoring the elections in Venezuela.”
The tone of the session was the usual one: the opposition and the government parties put each other to the test.
Outside the House, the most striking statement came from afar. In Barcelona, Miriam NoguerasJunts spokesman, shouted against the PSOE and the ERC for the Catalan quota: “For three weeks we have been listening to the ERC saying that an economic agreement has been approved and the PSOE saying that this is not the case. We want Montero to explain to us what has been approved.”
Nogueras’ words in the Catalan capital and his group’s vote in Congress confirm the anger of Puigdemont’s party against the Executive. A decisive factor in the return to political activity. Junts’ position threatens to block a legislature that has already been battered since its creation just over a year ago.
