The independentistas and nationalists are absent from the event, in which Vox will not participate either
MADRID, Dec. 5 (.) –
The Congress of Deputies will host this Tuesday the institutional act for the 44th anniversary of the Spanish Constitution of 1978, to which representatives of all State institutions are invited, and which this year will be preceded for the first time by the raising of the national flag that traditionally It had been taking place in the Plaza de Colón in Madrid.
Thus, this solemn hoisting will take place in front of the main façade of the Congress and the presidents of the Lower House, Meritxell Batet, and of the Senate, Ander Gil, will be the ones who will review the troops in a brief military parade.
Specifically, at ten in the morning Batet and Gil will be received by the Chief of the Defense Staff (JEMAD), Admiral General Teodoro Esteban López Calderón, with whom they will go to the podium located in Carrera de San Jerónimo to receive the orderly honours.
After the honours, the captain of the company will give news to both and, then, and accompanied by the JEMAD, they will review the troops located in the Carrera de San Jerónimo, before beginning the parade.
BATET’S SPEECH
Batet and Gil will take their place on the steps of the Puerta de los Leones to witness the hoisting of the flag, which will also be attended by members of the Bureaus of both Chambers and Spokesmen of the parliamentary groups, as well as military authorities. The hoisting team will leave from the Floridablanca patio carrying the flag and proceed to hoist it.
The institutional act organized by the Cortes will start at 12:30 p.m. The forecast is that it will be held outside again, in front of the Lions’ gate, as it has been done since the pandemic, although if it rained at that time, it would be moved inside Congress.
Batet will deliver his speech on the steps of the Puerta de los Leones, accompanied by Gil — who is participating for the first time as president of the Senate in this act since last year he could not attend due to being positive for Covid–, for the president of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, and by the representatives of the high institutions of the State. On the stairway and to the sides of the lions will also be the members of the Tables of Congress and the Senate, the spokespersons of the parliamentary groups of both Chambers and the ministers.
FEIJÓO, INVITED AS LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION
Representatives of State institutions and the autonomous communities are invited to the event, and the president of the majority opposition party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, who is attending for the first time as leader of the PP at an event in which in previous years he had participated as president of the Xunta. There will also be deputies and senators, former presidents of the Government and of the Chambers, constitutional speakers and a representation of social agents and civil society.
Once the institutional act is over, the authorities and guests will enter the Palace and go to the Conference Room, known as the Lost Steps Room, where a reception will take place.
Those who will not participate in the official act are the parliamentary partners of the coalition government — Esquerra Republicana (ERC), the PNV and EH-Bildu–, but Vox has also declined to attend, alleging that it considers it “a mockery” and a “farce”. “Celebrate a Constitution that is not fulfilled. Of course, his spokesperson, Iván Espinosa de los Monteros will be present at the previous act of hoisting the flag.
Neither will Junts, the PDeCaT, the CUP, Compromís or the Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG) be at the institutional act, as confirmed to Europa Press by sources from these parties. Yes, Inés Sabanés will be on her side, who will attend on behalf of Más País Verdes Equo.
