Government to Expand Agenda for Conference of Presidents Amidst Opposition
Education Minister and Government spokesperson Pilar Alegría announced on Tuesday that the Government will incorporate all the topics demanded by the different Autonomous Communities of the People's Party (PP) into the agenda for the upcoming Conference of Presidents. In a press conference following the Council of Ministers, Alegría stated that these new items would be added 'in their absolute literalness.' 'We believe in the institutional nature of this body and will comply with the regulations,' she emphasized.
The move comes as the Executive seeks to counter the PP's attempt to disrupt the Conference of Presidents, scheduled for this Friday, the 6th, in Barcelona. Several prominent barons from the PP have expressed their intentions to abstain from the meeting due to disagreements with the previously agreed-upon agenda. Among the issues they've proposed for discussion are reforms related to financing and job insecurity.
In her remarks, Alegría questioned whether increasing the agenda from six topics to sixteen would facilitate consensus. She raised concerns that the PP's actions might hinder constructive dialogue, indicating that some of the issues they wish to discuss should be addressed in different settings. 'We must be respectful of the separation of powers,' she added.
Furthermore, Alegría highlighted that since taking office, Prime Minister Sánchez has convened 22 conferences of presidents over the past seven years, in stark contrast to the two meetings held under former Prime Minister Rajoy and four under Zapatero. The upcoming conference will be critical as it seeks to address pressing issues among Spain's diverse regional governments.
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