At the same time that the extreme right of Vox packed the Plaza de Colón in Madrid yesterday to demand his resignation, Pedro Sánchez closed the congress of the Socialist International (IS) after assuming the presidency of this veteran organization that brings together 132 socialist, social democratic and labor parties from all the planet.
The President of the Government took advantage of his final intervention in this socialist conclave to celebrate that the Congress of Deputies has just given the final push, and by a large absolute majority, both to the general State budgets for next year, with the greatest investment in social policies in history, such as the new taxes on financial institutions, energy corporations and large fortunes. "Social justice and fiscal justice," Sánchez brandished, despite the opposition of the Popular Party led by Alberto Núñez Feijóo and the fierce confrontational strategy of Santiago Abascal's formation.
"Obviously, the right and the ultra-right were opposed," stressed the PSOE leader, before the approval of the budgets that will guarantee the course of the legislature and the culmination of his mandate, and the new taxes to face the energy and inflationary crisis . "But in the face of their noise, their insults and their blockades, Spain is advancing," warned Sánchez, in a direct reply to both the PP and Vox, just six months after municipal and regional elections in May that will determine the general ones scheduled for December 2023.
"Spain advances because we protect the people," stressed the socialist leader. And because, thanks to European funds, economic growth and job creation are maintained. "Spain is advancing because we ask the big companies for a greater effort, while we alleviate it to the social majority of Spaniards," he defended. "Spain is advancing because we give stability to our country and its people at a time when they most need stability and progress," he concluded.
Sánchez's intervention before the SI plenary, according to his strategists, was "very ideological and committed" to contrast the values and principles of social democracy with "neoliberalism and reactionary nationalism."
Thus, he wielded the legacy of Olof Palme, Willy Brandt, Salvador Allende or Felipe González, and defended "progressive internationalism", in addition to fraternity, humanity, cooperation, multilateralism, pacifism, ecology and economic justice, tax and labor
In this sense, Sánchez sent a message to the recently re-elected president of the business association, Antonio Garamendi: "I ask the CEOE to sit down with the unions to already achieve a salary agreement that gives workers security."
In full controversy over the unwanted effects of the application of the Sexual Freedom law, Sánchez dedicated a good part of his speech to claiming the "feminist revolution". And she warned: "Advances and achievements are not irreversible, democracy is defended day by day."
The PSOE leader assumed the reins of the SI, for a period of four years, supported by former president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero -who declared himself "proud" of the Government and highlighted the "courage and honesty" of Sánchez-, almost all Socialist ministers, Ferraz's executive, many territorial leaders and some socialist regional presidents.
Among the objectives with which Sánchez assumes office is to revive the ancient IS, which has been languishing for decades, to transform it into a powerful platform of influence before the UN. And to retune it with the German SPD, among other formations that ended up turning their backs on it. For this reason, yesterday he promised to "unite all progressive movements and parties."
