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☆ Madrid streets barricaded ahead of tense Spanish investiture debate
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The amnesty deal with Catalan separatists has prompted a wave of protests across Spain. Authorities said 80,000 people gathered in Madrid on Sunday, while tens of thousands also attended demonstrations in Granada and Seville. Thousands have congregated each night for nearly a fortnight outside the Socialist Party (POSE) headquarters in Madrid. "We are Spaniards worried about Spain," said one young protester draped in a Spanish flag. The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected an injunction by the far-right party Vox to suspend the investiture vote.

Persons: Sanchez, Pedro Sanchez's, Junts, Vox, Adolf Hitler, Esteban Gonzalez Pons, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, Belen Carreno, Miguel Gutierrez, Charlie Devereux, Aislinn Laing, Emelia Organizations: Spain's, Amnesty, Spain MADRID, Police, ERC, Sanchez’s Socialists, People's Party, Authorities, Sunday, Socialist Party, Eastern, European, Sanchez's Socialist Party, PSOE, Junts, Thomson Locations: Spain, Spain's, Madrid, Catalan, Granada, Seville, Spanish, Hungary, Romania

☆ Spain's Sanchez to Seek New Term as PM in Lower House on Nov. 16
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will seek to clinch a new term in a parliamentary vote on Thursday, the lower house speaker Francina Armengol said on Monday. The vote will follow a parliamentary debate scheduled to start at noon local time (1100 GMT) on Wednesday, she told reporters. Sanchez looks assured of winning a new term with an absolute majority of the 350-member assembly. The prospect of the amnesty has brought thousands of opponents to the streets over the past week. After an inconclusive election on July 23, Sanchez's Socialist Party spent weeks negotiating with smaller parties, most of which had supported him in 2020 for his previous term.

Persons: Pedro Sanchez, Francina Armengol, Sanchez, UPN's, Inti Landauro, David Latona, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: Junts, ERC, Sanchez's Socialist Party, Bildu, Canary Coalition Locations: MADRID, Catalan, Spain, Basque, Navarre

Pedro Nuno Santos poses for a portrait between the legislators of Socialist party and left bloc inside Portuguese parliament in Lisbon, Portugal June 21, 2016. The resignation also left Costa's job as secretary-general of the Socialist Party (PS) up for grabs, and whoever wins the leadership race will run for prime minister. Although Nuno Santos' popularity was hurt after he resigned in December 2022 in a scandal around a severance payout by state-owned airline TAP, he is seen as the front-runner by many. Nuno Santos successfully coordinated support for a previous minority government with the far-left in 2015-2019. Reporting by Catarina Demony and Sergio Goncalves; Editing by Andrei Khalip and Andrea RicciOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Pedro Nuno Santos, Rafael Marchante, Antonio Costa, illegalities, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Jose Luis Carneiro, Carneiro, Nuno Santos, pollsters Aximage, Costa, Adelino Maltez, Costa's, Intercampus, Catarina Demony, Sergio Goncalves, Andrei Khalip, Andrea Ricci Organizations: Socialist, REUTERS, Rights, Socialist Party, Interior, TAP, Diario, Socialists, Social Democrats, Thomson Locations: Lisbon, Portugal, Rights LISBON, Portuguese

☆ Centeno says outgoing Portugal PM only invited him to ponder on premiership
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Sergio Goncalves | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LISBON, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Bank of Portugal Governor Mario Centeno, who is under fire from the opposition over an invitation by the outgoing prime minister to replace him as premier, said on Monday he never accepted the offer but was just asked to ponder on the matter. Portuguese opposition parties on Friday argued that such an invitation compromised the political independence of a central bank governor. The Bank of Portugal's ethics committee is expected to meet on Monday to evaluate his conduct. Prime Minister Antonio Costa stepped down on Tuesday over an investigation into alleged illegalities in his government's handling of lithium and hydrogen projects and a large-scale data centre. Centeno announced his departure from the finance ministry in June 2020, during Costa's second term, and was nominated to head the bank a month later.

Persons: Mario Centeno, Antonio Costa, illegalities, Costa, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Centeno, Rebelo de Sousa, Olli Rehn, Balazs Koranyi, Francesco Canepa, Andrei Khalip, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Bank of Portugal, Socialist, European Central Bank policymaker, Bank of, ECB, Thomson Locations: LISBON, Portuguese, Bank of Portugal, ECB's, Finland, Frankfurt

☆ Spain's Sanchez to seek new term as PM in lower house on Nov. 16
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Susana Vera/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsMADRID, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Spain's acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will seek to clinch a new term in a parliamentary vote on Thursday, the lower house speaker Francina Armengol said on Monday. The vote will follow a parliamentary debate scheduled to start at noon local time (1100 GMT) on Wednesday, she told reporters. Sanchez looks assured of winning a new term with an absolute majority of the 350-member assembly. After an inconclusive election on July 23, Sanchez's Socialist Party spent weeks negotiating with smaller parties, most of which had supported him in 2020 for his previous term. Reporting by Inti Landauro; Editing by David Latona and Andrew CawthorneOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Pedro Sanchez, Andoni Ortuzar, Susana Vera, Francina Armengol, Sanchez, UPN's, Inti Landauro, David Latona, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: Basque Nationalist Party, REUTERS, Rights, Junts, ERC, Sanchez's Socialist Party, Bildu, Canary Coalition, Thomson Locations: Madrid, Spain, Rights MADRID, Catalan, Basque, Navarre

☆ More clashes in Madrid over Catalan amnesty deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Reuters Editorial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PoliticsMore clashes in Madrid over Catalan amnesty dealPostedSpanish protesters clashed with police outside the Socialist party headquarters in Madrid for a third straight night on Saturday (November 11), angered by its coalition deal with Catalan separatists that offers convicted secessionists amnesty.

Organizations: Socialist Locations: Madrid

Key to the agreement signed Thursday is a massively controversial amnesty that could benefit Puigdemont and thousands of other secessionists. Puigdemont is one of several Catalan leaders who fled justice after an illegal independence referendum was held in 2017. 1 for many Spaniards, and Catalan independence a politically toxic issue, some wonder why Sánchez, who has long opposed any amnesty, is now pushing for it. Those include the two pro-secession Catalan parties who led the unsuccessful 2017 breakaway attempt. A LEGAL QUAGMIREAny amnesty approved by Spain's Parliament is likely to be contested by the opposition parties and several courts in Spain.

Persons: — Spain's, Pedro Sánchez ’, Carles Puigdemont, Sumar —, Sánchez, Junts, QUAGMIRE, Didier Reynders, Spain’s, ___ Wilson Organizations: MADRID, Socialist, WHO, AMNESTY, Sánchez's Socialists, Forces, Popular Party, Vox, Police, Socialists, Junts, Basque Country, Court, European Union Locations: Catalunya, Catalonia, Spain, Spain's, Puigdemont, CATALONIA, Barcelona, Madrid, Basque, Navarra, Belgium

☆ Portuguese Central Bank to Assess Governor's Conduct - Local Media
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

LISBON (Reuters) - The Bank of Portugal's ethics committee will meet on Monday to evaluate the conduct of governor Mario Centeno, whose independence came into question after the departing prime minister proposed him as a potential replacement, local media said. Local media reported that Centeno had agreed to let his name go forward, raising concerns that his links to the PS remained strong and calling into question his independence if he remained central bank governor. Rebelo de Sousa rejected Costa's proposal and called the election instead. Centeno's quick move from the finance ministry to the central bank in July 2020, during Costa's second term, had previously raised eyebrows. A central bank spokesperson said it was up to the committee to comment on the matter.

Persons: Mario Centeno, Antonio Costa, illegalities, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Costa, Rebelo de Sousa, Centeno, Costa's, Joaquim Miranda Sarmento, Negocios, Catarina Demony, Sergio Goncalves, Kevin Liffey Organizations: Bank, Socialist, European Central Bank policymaker, Local, Social Democrats, Eco, Jornal Locations: LISBON

Portugal's Prime Minister and Socialist Party (PS) Secretary General Antonio Costa looks on after winning the general election in Lisbon, Portugal, January 31, 2022. REUTERS/Pedro Nunes/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLISBON, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Portugal's premier Antonio Costa, who resigned this week, told foreign investors on Saturday the country was open for business and wanted to remain attractive despite an ongoing corruption probe into "green" energy projects. Costa stepped down on Tuesday over an investigation into alleged illegalities in his government's handling of lithium and hydrogen projects, as well as a large-scale data centre. The data centre project, Start Campus, has been dubbed "one of the biggest foreign direct investments in Portugal in recent decades". The company said it was cooperating with authorities but that neither the company nor any of its staff were the targets of the investigation.

Persons: General Antonio Costa, Pedro Nunes, Antonio Costa, Costa, illegalities, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Afonso Salema, Joao Galamba, Vitor Escaria, embarrasses, Catarina Demony, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Portugal's, Socialist Party, REUTERS, Rights, Savannah Resources, Authorities, Thomson Locations: Lisbon, Portugal, Rights LISBON, London, Savannah, Portuguese

Just holding the deal together through a full four-year parliamentary term will be a tough challenge, many predict. "The next legislative term will be very tough for the PSOE, it is likely it won't finish the whole term," said Catalan political analyst Joan Esculies. Spaniards have also been called to show their ire in town square demonstrations across the country on Sunday. For Andoni Ortuzar, the Basque Nationalist Party leader who also struck a deal with the Socialists on Friday, whether the government could hold would be a test of Spain's plurality. "We are different - we consider ourselves a different nation - and the question is whether we can live together comfortably," he said.

Persons: Sanchez, Pedro Sanchez, Francisco Franco, Junts, Carles Puigdemont, Joan Esculies, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, Andoni Ortuzar, Susana Vera, Emiliano Garcia, Puigdemont, Lluis Orriols, Ortuzar, Belen Carreno, Joan Faus, Emma Pinedo, Aislinn Laing, Alex Richardson Organizations: Deal, Spain's Socialists, Socialist, PSOE, People's Party, Socialists, Basque Nationalist Party, REUTERS, Catalan Socialist, Carlos III University, Thomson Locations: MADRID, BARCELONA, Catalan, Belgium, Catalonia, Spain, Madrid, Castilla, La Mancha, Spanish, Catalunya

☆ Spain's Sanchez wins support for PM bid amid anger over Catalan amnesty vow
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"We have managed to secure a majority that will make possible the investiture of Pedro Sanchez," acting minister for parliamentary relations Felix Bolanos said in an interview with SER radio station. Opinion polls have painted a picture of a country divided over the question of amnesty, even within the ranks of the Socialist Party. With Junts and PNV and the national and regional left-wing parties, Sanchez would win an absolute majority of 178 out of 350 lawmakers. Later on Friday, the Socialist Party added one vote more to its wide coalition after Canary Islands' regionalist party Coalicion Canaria also agreed to back Sanchez. Bolanos said the Catalan amnesty law would help ease tension in Catalonia as it would free school directors, firefighters and other civil servants who helped organise an illegal referendum on the region's independence in 2017 from legal proceedings.

Persons: Pedro Sanchez, Ursula von der Leyen, Charles Michel, Jon Nazca, Junts, Sanchez, Felix Bolanos, Bolanos, Canaria, Carles Puigdemont, Belen Carreno, Emma Pinedo, Inti Landauro, David Latona, Jessica Jones, Aislinn Laing, Toby Chopra, Nick Macfie, Hugh Lawson, Andrea Ricci Organizations: European, REUTERS, Rights, Catalan separatists, National Basque Party, Canaries ' Coalition, SER, Socialist Party, Socialist, La, Sigma, Sanchez's Socialist Party, Interior Ministry, El Mundo, Socialists, Police, Thomson Locations: Granada, Spain, Rights MADRID, Catalonia, Galician, Basque, Canary Islands, Junts, Madrid

Andre Azevedo Alves, political science professor at Lisbon's Catolica University and St Mary's University in London, said the corruption investigation was a "very strong blow" to any PS ambitions. Analysts agree the PSD is likely to come out on top, but doubt its ability to build enough support to form a stable government. "Assuming the likelihood that the PSD will not have (enough) votes to form a government without Chega... we may go from one political crisis to another," Alves said. Waiting for a bus in central Lisbon, Ana Bernardino, 23, vented her concerns about the political outlook. "It is a political crisis and in my opinion it's a bit frustrating that elections are being held again...I'm a bit afraid."

Persons: Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Antonio Costa, illegalities, Costa, Costa's, Intercampus, Andre Azevedo Alves, Andre Ventura, Luis Montenegro, Alves, Antonio Barroso, Ana Bernardino, Maria Ines Ferreira, Catarina Demony, Miguel Pereira, Patricia Rua, Andrei Khalip, Nick Macfie, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Socialist Party, Social Democrats, Lisbon's Catolica University, St Mary's University, PSD, Chega, Liberal Initiative, CDS, Thomson Locations: Belem, LISBON, Portugal, London, Lisbon, Europe

☆ Poll shows most Portuguese want snap election, president readies decision
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

His office said he would address the nation after meeting his consultative body, the Council of State. PS President Carlos Cesar said on Wednesday that if the president decided to call an election, March would be the best timing. The budget includes lower income tax rates for the middle class, higher wages and social benefits. Separately, those detained in the investigation, including Costa's close friend and consultant Diogo Lacerda Machado, were due to appear before a Lisbon court on Thursday. Reporting by Catarina Demony, Patricia Rua, Sergio Goncalves, editing by Andrei Khalip and Alex RichardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Antonio Costa, Pedro, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, illegalities, Costa, Correio, Rebelo de Sousa, Joao Duque, Carlos Cesar, Diogo Lacerda Machado, Catarina Demony, Patricia Rua, Sergio Goncalves, Andrei Khalip, Alex Richardson Organizations: REUTERS, Socialist, Prosecutors, Socialist Party, of State, Jornal de Negocios, Analysts, Lisbon School of Economics, Management, Thomson Locations: Lisbon, Portugal, LISBON

☆ Hundreds protest against Spain's potential amnesty law
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Reuters Editorial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PoliticsHundreds protest against Spain's potential amnesty lawPostedHundreds of people protested on Wednesday (November 8) outside Spanish Socialist party headquarters in Madrid against ongoing negotiations for granting an amnesty to people involved with Catalonia's failed 2017 independence bid.

Persons: Catalonia's Organizations: Spanish Socialist Locations: Madrid

By law, an election needs to be held within 60 days of the publishing of the presidential decree dissolving parliament. "I hope that time, sooner rather than later, will allow us to clarify what happened," Rebelo de Sousa said. By calling the March election, Rebelo de Sousa also addressed the need of the PS to pick a new leader to run. Earlier, PS President Carlos Cesar said March would be the best timing, while other parties pointed to January or February. "It is urgent to reestablish trust and prestige in democratic institutions," the leader of the PSD, Luis Montenegro, said after the president announced the election.

Persons: Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Rebelo de Sousa, Antonio Costa, illegalities, Costa, Rebelo, Mario Centeno, Filipe Garcia, Mercados, Carlos Cesar, Andre Ventura, Luis Montenegro, Catarina Demony, Sergio Goncalves, Andrei Khalip, Marguerita Choy, Alistair Bell Organizations: Lawmakers, Socialist, Socialist Party, of State, Prosecutors, Bank of Portugal, Social Democrats, PSD, Thomson Locations: LISBON, Portugal, Portuguese, Lisbon, Belem, Europe, Western, Montenegro

☆ Spanish Socialists and Catalan Junts reach deal for government support, amnesty
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A law granting amnesty to those prosecuted over Catalonia's attempt to secede from Spain was included in the deal, political leaders said and the deal text showed. The agreement included Junts lending its votes in parliament to support legislation for a full four-year term, he said. But Junts, which seeks another independence referendum, said supporting each law would depend on progress in talks involving Catalonia's political conflict. As a deal between Junts and the Socialists edged nearer in the past week, the mood in the country has become increasingly febrile, with protesters clashing with police outside the Socialists' headquarters in Madrid. An amnesty could exculpate as many as 1,400 activists and politicians involved in the attempt to separate Catalonia from Spain.

Persons: Junts, Feijoo, Puigdemont, Pedro Sanchez, Santos Cerdan, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, Sanchez, Carles Puigdemont, Jaume Clotet, Belen Carreno, Joan Faus, Graham Keeley, Aislinn Laing, Charlie Devereux, Alison Williams, Toby Chopra, Bernadette Baum, Sharon Singleton, Alex Richardson Organizations: Companies Spain's Socialists, Conservative, Socialist Party, PSOE, Socialist, Socialists, Police, People's Party, Spanish Socialist Workers ' Party, Basque Nationalist Party, Thomson Locations: Catalan, Madrid, MADRID, Spain, Brussels, Junts, Catalonia, Belgium, Waterloo

☆ Poll Shows Most Portuguese Want Snap Election, President Readies Decision
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

LISBON (Reuters) - Nearly 70% of Portuguese voters want an early election following the abrupt resignation of the Socialist prime minister, a survey showed on Thursday, as President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was due to announce his decision on the matter later in the day. His office said he would address the nation after meeting his consultative body, the Council of State. PS President Carlos Cesar said on Wednesday that if the president decided to call an election, March would be the best timing. The budget includes lower income tax rates for the middle class, higher wages and social benefits. (Reporting by Catarina Demony, Patricia Rua, Sergio Goncalves, editing by Andrei Khalip and Alex Richardson)

Persons: Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Antonio Costa, illegalities, Costa, Correio, Rebelo de Sousa, Joao Duque, Carlos Cesar, Diogo Lacerda Machado, Catarina Demony, Patricia Rua, Sergio Goncalves, Andrei Khalip, Alex Richardson Organizations: Socialist, Prosecutors, Socialist Party, of State, Jornal de Negocios, Analysts, Lisbon School of Economics, Management Locations: LISBON, Lisbon

Timing is everything," said political scientist Antonio Costa Pinto. By law, an election needs to be held within 60 days of the publishing of the presidential decree dissolving parliament. The PSD is still reeling from defeat in a January 2022 election that caused a leadership change. The 74-year-old former law lecturer and political commentator has used his constitutional power to disband parliament once before, in November 2021. Unlike now, Costa's government then had no parliamentary majority and had just had its budget rejected.

Persons: Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Antonio Costa, illegalities, Costa, Antonio Costa Pinto, Ines de Sousa Real, Rebelo de Sousa, Antonio Barroso, Luis Montenegro, Pedro Nuno Santos, Andre Ventura, Patricia Rua, Aislinn Laing, Nick Macfie Organizations: Socialist, Socialist Party, Nature, Social Democratic Party, TAP, Thomson Locations: LISBON, Portuguese, Montenegro

The clashes led to chaotic scenes of people running amid smoke and trash containers thrown in the streets, Reuters video footage showed. Around 4,000 people attended the protest - including Spain's far-right party Vox leader, Santiago Abascal - and at least one person was detained, according to local media reports. The Socialists are reportedly nearing their negotiations with Puigdemont's party, Junts, while the proposed law has been fiercely criticized by conservative parties and judges who accuse Sanchez of jeopardizing the rule of law. The protest was organised by a Spanish nationalist grassroots organization and smaller protests took place in other Spanish cities such as Barcelona. "To attack the PSOE offices is to attack democracy and all those who believe in it," Sanchez posted on X, using the Socialist Party acronym in Spanish.

Persons: Pedro Sanchez, Catalonia's, Santiago Abascal, Sanchez, Carles Puigdemont, Puigdemont Organizations: Spanish, Spain's Socialists Party, PSOE, Socialist Party, TVE, Police, Socialist, El, Socialists, Thomson Locations: Madrid, Spain, MADRID, El Pais, Spanish, Barcelona

☆ Spain's acting PM Sanchez backs Catalan amnesty deal in bid to form government
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/ Albert Gea/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsMADRID, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Spain's acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Saturday said he supported granting a controversial amnesty to those involved in Catalonia's failed 2017 independence bid, in the hope of persuading the region's parties to back him in government. He needs the backing of Catalan separatist parties, Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya ERC and Junts, who have demanded an amnesty law that could potentially cover more than 1,400 people involved in the failed independence bid. "To continue moving forward, we must overcome all the episodes that in the past divided us and fractured our societies," Sanchez said. He said his party "looks at the problems head on", adding 80% of Catalans supported an agreement on the issue. A poll in September showed 70% of respondents - 59% of them socialist supporters - were against an amnesty.

Persons: Oriol Junqueras, Passeig de Gracia, Albert Gea, Pedro Sanchez, Catalonia's, Sanchez, Esquerra, Jessica Jones, Mike Harrison Organizations: Passeig, REUTERS, Rights, Socialist Party's Federal, Catalunya ERC, Junts, Catalans, Thomson Locations: Barcelona, Spain, Rights MADRID, Catalonia, Madrid, Catalan

The practice of citizen-originated ballot measures began 125 years ago when South Dakota became the first in the nation to enact a statewide initiative and referendum process. But some still invoke his name in their fight to preserve voters’ ballot measure rights. “It represents for me the fundamental idea of the equal dignity of every human being,” said Heidelberger, who blogs about South Dakota politics. The political conditions were brief but just right in 1897 for lawmakers to approve it; voters passed it the following year. In a memoir compiled by the state Socialist Party, Haire is credited with writing the amendment itself.

Persons: it’s, Robert W, Cory Heidelberger, ”, Heidelberger, Pierre, Haire, Ohioans, “ That’s, John Matsusaka, “, can’t, ” Matsusaka, ” David Schmidt, Drey Samuelson, Sen, Tim Johnson of, you’re, Samuelson, Janine Giordano Drake, Republican State Sen, Michael Rohl, Rohl, ’, Rohl didn’t, Sister Kathleen Bierne, Drake, ” Drake, Bierne, “ We’ve, Father Haire’s, Jesus ’, Eugene Debs, Liz May, Tom Heinz, Heinz, ain’t Organizations: Republican, Socialist Party, it’s, University of Southern California’s Initiative, Referendum, “ Citizen, U.S, Indiana University, Christian Socialist, Catholic, Republican State, Associated Press, Michigan, Aberdeen News, Lilly Endowment Inc, AP Locations: U.S, Ohio, South Dakota, Dakotans, Dakota, California, Tim Johnson of South Dakota, state’s, Brown, Aberdeen

☆ Spain's Socialists, hard-left Sumar strike government coalition deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The agreement came after acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez met with Sumar leader and acting Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz on Monday. Sanchez requires the support from Sumar's 33 lower-house lawmakers - as well as from other parties, including some advocating for Catalan and Basque independence - in his bid to renew his term as premier. While Sumar's support is crucial, it is not enough to secure Sanchez's investiture in the lower house. He still needs the backing of Catalan separatists, who are demanding an amnesty law to mass pardon people involved in the region's failed independence bid of 2017. Reporting by David Latona; Editing by Ed Osmond and Aislinn LaingOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Spain's, Yolanda Diaz, Pedro Sanchez, Sanchez, David Latona, Ed Osmond, Aislinn Laing Organizations: Socialist Party, PSOE, Spain's Socialist Party, Labour, Catalan, Socialists, Thomson Locations: MADRID, Basque, Catalan

☆ Spanish potential coalition government to reinforce banking tax
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MADRID, Oct 24 (Reuters) - The leader of Spain's leftist platform Sumar, Yolanda Diaz, said on Tuesday an agreement for a potential coalition government with the Socialist Party envisaged extending and reinforcing a windfall tax for banks and large energy companies. Their potential coalition has yet to win the backing of other parties in parliament. Companies currently pay between 23% and 25% on underlying profit. The deal, which came after acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez met with Sumar leader and acting Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz on Monday, also includes a proposal to reduce working hours while preserving the same pay. Reporting by Belen Carreno, Emma Pinedo, Jesus Aguado, writing by Andrei KhalipOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Yolanda Diaz, Pedro Sanchez, Belen Carreno, Emma Pinedo, Jesus Aguado, Andrei Khalip Organizations: Socialist Party, Companies, Labour, Thomson Locations: MADRID

MADRID (AP) — The parties forming Spain’s acting government said Tuesday that they will push for a 37½-hour workweek as part of an agreement the coalition partners struck as they try to remain in power following an inconclusive election in July. Now, the government wants to move toward a shorter workweek like in neighboring France, where the workweek is 35 hours. The proposal is for Spain to have a 38½-hour workweek next year and for that to fall to 37½ hours in 2025. Spain’s Socialist Party and its junior coalition partner, the leftist Sumar (Joining Forces), have until Nov. 27 to earn the backing of the majority of Spain’s Parliament to form a new government. ___This story has been corrected to show that Spain’s governing party and its junior coalition partner have until Nov. 27 to try to form a government, not Nov. 21.

Persons: Pedro Sánchez, Yolanda Díaz Organizations: MADRID, Spain’s Socialist Party, Forces, Socialists, Socialist Locations: Spain, France, Catalonia, Basque, Madrid

Those include two pro-secession Catalan parties who led the unsuccessful 2017 breakaway attempt and who now find themselves holding the key votes in Parliament that Sánchez requires. They have made an amnesty law as a prerequisite for supporting Sánchez. “Pedro Sánchez needs the amnesty law to pass so he can get the four votes he is lacking,” Nebrera told the AP. Spain granted a sweeping amnesty during its transition back to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975. But legal experts are divided over the constitutionality of an amnesty for the Catalan separatists.

Persons: Oriol Calvo, Calvo, Pedro Sánchez, “, ” Calvo, Sánchez, Carles Puigdemont, Spain can’t, ”, Pablo Seco, Montserrat Nebrera, ” Nebrera, Felipe González, Francisco Franco, Xavier Antich, Hernán Muñoz Organizations: —, Socialist, International University of Catalonia, AP, Omnium Locations: BARCELONA, Spain, — Barcelona, Catalonia’s, Madrid, Catalonia, Belgium, Barcelona, Montserrat, Sánchez, Catalan

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