Pedro Sánchez Engages Regional Leaders Amid Funding Controversy
The head of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, is set to embark on a series of meetings with regional presidents starting this Friday with Imanol Pradales, the lehendakari of the Basque Country. This initiative comes in the wake of a controversial agreement between the PSC (Socialist Party of Catalonia) and ERC (Republican Left of Catalonia) concerning special funding for Catalonia, which has sparked reactions from various regional leaders, including those from the PSOE itself.
On Friday, September 20, Sánchez will also meet with the president of the Xunta, Alfonso Rueda, and the president of Andalusia, Juanma Moreno. The Prime Minister's agenda includes further discussions next week with the leaders of Cantabria, La Rioja, and Asturias. As part of his outreach, Sánchez aims to foster collaboration and dialogue between the State and regional governments, highlighting the importance of institutional understanding across different administrations.
Although these gatherings were prompted by recent funding disputes, the administration has made it clear that the discussions will go beyond finances. They aim to build stronger partnerships between the national and regional governments. Sánchez, who announced this initiative during a political event on September 4, emphasized the need to include all regional presidents in these conversations, even when they have their distinct economic agreements.
Reactions to the meetings were varied, particularly among leaders of the Popular Party (PP). Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the president of the Community of Madrid, urged regional PP leaders to refrain from meeting with Sánchez. Nevertheless, leaders from regions like Galicia, Murcia, Valencia, and Cantabria have shown openness to participating in the discussions, albeit not under the conditions of bilateral negotiations.
This pattern of behavior is reflective of a broader stance agreed upon during a meeting chaired by PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo on September 6, where regional presidents pledged not to engage in bilateral negotiations regarding funding. Sánchez, speaking at the commencement of the political course, asserted that his funding proposals would ensure that all autonomous communities would receive more financial resources than they did under Mariano Rajoy's administration, effectively doubling the support from the interterritorial compensation fund.
In light of these developments, it is anticipated that the upcoming meetings will also touch upon the persistent demands from the PP for a Conference of Presidents, a meeting that the government has promised to convene at a later date, although no specifics have been provided yet.
As the political landscape in Spain continues to evolve following the controversial funding agreement, these meetings could represent a critical opportunity for regional leaders to express their concerns and work toward a more coordinated approach to governance.
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