Although he never strayed far, veteran Patxi López (Barakaldo, 1959) returns to the forefront of politics as spokesman for the socialist group in Congress. After being the Lehendakari (2009-2012) under whose mandate ETA terrorism disappeared, leader of the Basque Socialists (2002-2014) or President of Congress (2016), he will now be the speaker of the Government's legislative action.
What stands out from Pedro Sánchez's speech in this federal committee of the PSOE?
The ratification of the objective that was already marked in the debate on the state of the nation: that we socialists are going for it all, from the Government and from the party. We are going for everything to face the crisis, to help the people who have the worst time. And we are also going all out organically, to face the next municipal and regional elections. What this federal committee does is put one more gear, as the president himself said.
With what argument did Sánchez propose assuming the position of spokesman in Congress?
Félix Bolaños already said it when the president called him to be a minister: there are things that one neither asks for nor can say no to. I have always been at the service of the PSOE. And when the general secretary calls me to tell me that he had thought of me to lead the parliamentary group, first of all it is a personal pride. And second: in difficult and complex situations like the ones we are going through, I was never going to say no.
Very notable was the hug that was given with the president in the debate on the state of the nation, where the Popular Party fixed on ETA practically all its opposition speech.
It was an absolutely misplaced PP, he was in that debate but he didn't even know about it. The president made a proposal for the country, and announced the necessary measures to continue advancing, to get out of this crisis in a more equitable and just way than how the right-wing government got us out of the previous crisis. The PP, instead of presenting its proposals, spoke again of ETA. From a terrorist organization that democracy and democrats defeated more than ten years ago. It made me very sad. What did the PP do? Reviving ETA? Deny the victory of the Democrats against the terrorists? There are things that in politics should not be worth. There is the red line of using terrorism to attack the political adversary. I find it quite politically indecent.
There are those in the PSOE who think that his appointment is the best way to neutralize the PP's discourse on ETA and its criticism of the government's pacts with EH Bildu, which also make socialist sectors uncomfortable.
The best way to neutralize the PP is the government's own action. The Executive needs to seek agreements to carry out its projects and its policies, and it has a right-wing in front of it that by definition says no. The Government is seeking agreements to raise pensions with the IPC, and we agreed with Bildu because the PP said no. And for a minimum vital income, which helps more than a million families, because the PP said no. Or to carry out the states of alarm in the pandemic that saved millions of lives, because the PP said no. The Government does not sit idly by, and takes all these policies forward with whoever sits down to negotiate them and seek understanding and agreement. The PP, installed in the no, is at this moment the anti-politics.
Sánchez accelerates to tax the extraordinary benefits of banks and electricity companies and deploy a broad legislative agenda. Will it be possible to articulate the necessary parliamentary majorities until the legislature is exhausted?
A progressive government has to redistribute wealth, to help those who have the worst time with public resources. But also in times of crisis you have to distribute the sacrifices. It is not bearable that the sacrifices are always made by the same ones, who are the ones who have the least and have the worst time. A few years ago, in another crisis, 60,000 million were put from everyone's money to help banks. And now that they have extraordinary benefits, banking and energy, they shout to the heavens because they are going to contribute an extraordinary tax, in two years, 7,000 million? But if only the bank had more than 13,000 million profits last year! And the PP is also opposed. Who does he defend? It is clear: the PSOE and the progressive government defend the middle and working classes, and the PP the 5% of the powerful. I am convinced that there is a social majority, and also a parliamentary one, that is going to be behind these measures. The legislature will end when it corresponds.
Will there be new budgets?
Schumpeter said that the thunder of history appears in budgets. And now we are in the middle of a storm. These thunders have to be reflected in the budget items that are already transforming Spain with European funds, to put us in a position to face, with many guarantees of success, all the challenges we have.
How are you on the left hand with the PNV or ERC?
This Government, in such a fragmented parliamentary situation, has already carried out 150 projects. Each one required dialogue, negotiation and agreement. That is politics: dialogue and search for understanding with those who think differently. And so it will continue to be.
