With less than a month to go before the end of the current year, the Congress plans to rush to the last loophole of ordinary parliamentary activity to carry out various regulations, many of them controversial, which have even shaken the government coalition by confronting the PSOE and United We Can. The law transthe reform of the abortionthe laws of mistreatment and the animal welfarethe repeal of the seditionor the rules of job and of universities They are waiting to receive the penultimate and/or last push in the Lower House and go to the Senate before the end of 2022.
On the horizon of 2023 there are two dates indicated in the calendar that will focus political activity and threaten to slow down the work in Congress, such as the celebration of the regional and municipal elections at the end of May, and, if there are no setbacks, that of the general elections at the end of 2023.
The repeal of the crime of sedition, which is processed by the urgent procedure, is called to finish its career in Congress sooner rather than later. After the closure of the period for partial amendments, which has ended with a cocktail of far-reaching reforms, the Justice Commission is scheduled to hold the presentation this Monday. According to parliamentary sources, if an agreement is reached on the corrections, the opinion could be voted on in the branch commission this Tuesday.
And, as happened with the debate to take it into consideration, on November 24, and with that of the five full amendments with alternative text, on December 1, the governing body of the Lower House could convene a second plenary session this Thursday to specifically address this matter before being sent to the Senate and continuing its processing there.
On the other hand, the report of the presentation of the law for the equality of trans people and the guarantee of LGBTI rights faces his vote this Monday within the Equality Commission. This appointment will highlight the differences that still exist between the PSOE and Unidas Podemos regarding the gender self-determination in minors from 14 to 16 years old (The Socialists asked to limit it through an amendment).
According to parliamentary sources from the socialist group, Irene Montero “has on her roof” a proposal on corrections relating to minors, the text of which has brought them “very close” to the agreement, although it has not yet been achieved. In this sense, the PSOE spokesman in the Lower House, Patxi López, assured that the law could go to Plenary next December 22.
Within the framework of these “open negotiations and intensity to move forward”, the parliamentarian also pointed out that the animal welfare law could receive the go-ahead of the congressional chamber before the end of the year. In an attempt to unblock the norm, whose main discrepancy lies in the amendment presented by the PSOE to exclude hunting dogs from the lawthe Ministry of Social Rights, led by the home leader Ione Belarra, sent a proposal to the Socialists last Wednesday.
This involves adopting the animal protection model of Castilla La-Mancha, governed by Emiliano García-Page (PSOE), which excludes game animals only during the hunting activity itself. “Likewise, no one will be able to abandon, mistreat or discard hunting dogs. It is evident that this is not our ideal model, but we believe that it is urgent that the law can be approved in Congress and begin to end impunity for abusers” Belarra argued.
The reform of the sexual and reproductive health law, and voluntary termination of pregnancy It is heading towards its final approval in plenary this Thursday, after the Equality Commission approved the opinion of the paper. The norm that recovers the right to abortion in minors between 16 and 17 years of age, after passing through the body of the branch, has incorporated the possibility that a minor of 16 years of age can abort judicially and the regulation so that non-objecting doctors do not are relegated to performing abortions.
In the same way, Congress plans to give an outlet in the plenary session prior to Christmas to the Employment Lawwhich will transform SEPE into a State Employment Agency, as well as the new Organic Law of the University System (LOSU)which incorporates the right to strike for the student body, and the equalization of the rights and duties of labor and civil servants.
Also, the Lower House will decide this Thursday on the validation of the decree-law of measures aimed at alleviate mortgages for vulnerable groupsa package of measures that, despite having the endorsement of the Council of Ministers, does not convince United We Can.
The reform of the ‘gag law’ and the housing law are still kicking
In the inkwell of the negotiations still remain the housing law and the reform of the gag law. On both there is a manifest will on the part of the Government to promote them before the end of the year, but they continue to run aground due to the differences between the PSOE and its investiture partners.
Regarding the modification of the citizen security lawnegotiating sources assure that the talks, until now led by a working group made up of the parties in favor of the reform (PSOE, Unidas Podemos, ERC, PNV, EH Bildu and Junts), will move to other levels to finish off the pending pitfalls, that is, the use of rubber bullets and fines for disrespect to the police.
