The wind in Europe is changing and this time it is blowing to the right. Following Finland and Greece, the offensive of the ultra-conservatives reached Spain, where the Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez decided to return the mandate to King Philip VI. in light of the clear defeat in the administrative elections, in which the PP defeated the PSOE, the sinking of Podemos and the promotion of Vox. Moreover, even in Italy the situation has not improved for Ellie Schlein’s Democratic Party, who, two months after becoming head of the secretariat, has failed to achieve the much-desired turn of the broad, progressive and leftist field. Back in Spain, Sanchez decided not to sign a mandate that was due to end at the end of the year, and to go to early elections, perhaps in the hope of stemming the hemorrhage of socialist voters and also giving the center-right as little time as possible to drag out any alliances with the ultra-conservatives.
In those three years of office, which began months before the outbreak of the pandemic – Sánchez was sworn in on January 8, 2020 – the socialist government has done what it takes to put social justice back at the center of the political agenda with many bold reforms, clearly inspired by the left, which, perhaps no other country in Europe has dared to go in recent years and that could be threatened if the right wins. Just think about the important reform of employment contracts and wage increases agreed with unions at 4% in 2023 and 3% over the next two years, subject to a further increase of 1% in the event of price increases. Despite the start of the war in Ukraine and the rise in prices for raw materials, Spain managed to contain the rise in the cost of living, and inflation was 4%, while in Italy it returned to an increase of about 8%.
The Spanish government has also taken steps to increase the minimum wage by 8% and put forward a number of initiatives to support families in buying property. For those under 30 and households with children, a First Home Credit Line was announced that covers up to 20% of the cost of a mortgage. In addition, 113,000 new affordable public housing units have been announced, 10% of which will be subsidized over 10 years. It is the real estate measures that could be the first measures to be dismantled by a future right-wing government, given the risk of a speculative bubble like that of 2012. months, it must be said that in recent months unemployment has fallen sharply: from 27% in 2013 to 13% in 2023. Youth unemployment has also fallen to about 29% (in 2013 it was 55%), thanks to a boom in new permanent contracts (44%).
But Sanchez’s leadership not only succeeded in halving unemployment, which rose from 6 million in 2013 to 3 million.. It endorsed some clearly feminist, in a sense revolutionary reforms that have made Spain a beacon of hope for women and the LGBT community around the world. Through cooperation Equality Minister Irene Montero Abortion reform was approved to introduce menstrual leave and allow 16- and 17-year-old girls to terminate pregnancies without parental permission. The country also introduced compulsory sex education in schools and abolished the pill the next morning, instead valuing surrogacy, a topic close to parts of the Italian left, as a form of violence against women. Another important provision concerned the transfer of leia measure that gives individuals aged 16 years and over the right to change their name and self-identify their gender identity in the vital records with a simple declaration, without a medical examination issuing a diagnosis of gender dysphoria.
The most divisive reform, and perhaps partly contributing to the PSOE’s loss of votes, was the so-called “solo sí es sí” law wanted by Podemos against all sexual acts without consent, which recognizes as rape any sexual act performed without explicit consent. consent, eliminating the difference between sexual assault and rape, increasing some penalties and lessening others. This has contributed to growing unrest within and outside the government, exacerbated by yesterday’s administrative vote. Sexual freedom, reproductive freedom, freedom of self-determination, as well as social justice: with the eventual victory of Vox, the far-right party, all these goals achieved so far may be in jeopardy.. For this reason, the goal of new elections in July represents a fundamental dividing line between before and after, especially as Spain’s six-month European Council presidency begins on 1 July. The rest of Europe is well aware of this, but so far they can only stand and watch.
Source: Elle