Pedro Sánchez Faces Growing Pressure Over Stalled Budgets and Political Stability
Pedro Sánchez wore a forced smile during the press conference following the recent European Council meeting in Brussels. When asked about the possibility of calling elections should he fail to get this year's public accounts approved, Sánchez emphasized the need for stability, indicating he has no intention of sending Spaniards to the polls anytime soon. Within PSOE, there is an acceptance that the current outdated budgets may simply be extended, with no plans to even revisit the 2015 budgets in Congress for deliberation and voting.
So far, Sánchez has struggled to deliver new public accounts during this legislative term, despite his previous commitments to approve them on time. The burden of this expectation has largely fallen on the Minister of Finance, María Jesús Montero, who has been vocal about the necessity of public accounts. In a past statement, Sánchez remarked that "a government without accounts is as useful as a car without gas," a sentiment that adds urgency to the current situation.
Officially, the government claims that talks are ongoing with various parliamentary groups in Congress. However, many of these groups have indicated otherwise, stating, "They are not talking to us about this issue," and suggesting that as of today, the government would likely lose the necessary vote.
Moncloa has until May to present the budget project to the General Courts, warning that if Sánchez does not secure guaranteed support by that time, he will be forced to start planning for next year. Socialist ministers have acknowledged this, stating that without a significant turnaround, they will not put extensive effort into negotiations.
A senior socialist official expressed confidence that the current economic situation in Spain is stable, suggesting that, "We do not need new budgets; we are fine with the ones we have." A socialist deputy echoed these sentiments, arguing that reopening the budget would only burden the government with additional demands from parties seeking a majority in Congress, particularly referencing the demands from the fugitive Carles Puigdemont's party.
Amidst these discussions, pressure from within the government is surfacing, especially from Minister Yolanda Díaz. Following leaks that the socialist faction was resigning to the idea of not presenting new budgets, Díaz publicly advocated for the need for the government to put forth its proposed public policies to Congress, emphasizing that if negotiations fail, the consequences would be clear.
The main opposition party, the PP, is confident that both new budgets and elections are off the table for now. They assert that their internal polling reflects the same sentiment; should elections be held today, Sánchez would likely lose his position. Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo plans to convey this narrative in the upcoming National Executive Committee meeting in Madrid, where he will engage with regional leaders about Sánchez's perceived lack of control over Congress and his government.
Feijóo is expected to reiterate the message that Sánchez is struggling, with the PP outlining that the Spanish president presents himself to European partners as lacking control over his coalition and without a clear plan or parliamentary support, particularly in light of increased defense spending demands.
As the political landscape shifts and tensions rise, it remains to be seen how Sánchez will navigate these challenges and whether he can regain stability within his government and the broader Spanish political framework.
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