Pedro Sánchez faces another turbulent week, which he hopes will culminate in Congress approving his reform of the Penal Code, which includes a repeal of sedition, and its replacement by the crime of aggravated public disorder, as well as a review of the types embezzlement penalties. Socialist sources assure that they are already assembling a sufficient parliamentary majority to endorse the PSOE compromise amendment to the ERC initiative on embezzlement, despite the "unmarking" of Podemos, which will nevertheless approve the reform. "We are surprised by that yes, but I do not sign what I vote for," warned Ferraz's spokeswoman, Minister Pilar Alegría, given the position of the purple formation, which will vote in favor but will not sign the transaction jointly with the PSOE.
Socialist sources warn that it is a new dissension in the United Podemos space, which, however, will not prevent the reform from adding a parliamentary majority, with the support of the PNV among other groups of the investiture bloc.
Minister Alegría, at the end of the meeting of the PSOE executive chaired by Pedro Sánchez on Monday, has tried to justify by all means this reform of the crime of embezzlement that is being negotiated with ERC, as a new step, with the claim that it be the definitive one, for the dejudicialization of the political conflict in Catalonia. On the one hand, she has assured that with the socialist proposal "no form of embezzlement is decriminalized." On the other, with the new figure of irregular budgetary deviation, she has highlighted that "the misuse of public money is punished and the persecution of the corrupt is hardened."
Ferraz's spokeswoman has stressed, in this sense, that the PSOE initiative maintains its "two red lines" in this regard, since "in no case" will this party "support any benefit to any accused or convicted of political corruption", and In addition, "any irregular use of public funds" will continue to be punished. Alegría has insisted that "the fight against corruption is a banner" of the PSOE. "No form of embezzlement is decriminalized and the treatment of the corrupt is harsher," Alegría has reiterated over and over again.
The minister has redirected the shot against the Popular Party, to overcome the internal controversies before the embezzlement reform. Alegría has thus assured that the PP "is raised to exaggeration, insult and hyperbole." And she has criticized Alberto Núñez Feijóo for questioning the legitimacy of the Prime Minister, with a position of "hyperventilation". "They prefer to dabble in the politics of tension," she lamented. And she has defended the "solutions" promoted by Pedro Sánchez to "recover coexistence in Catalonia", which, in her opinion, will be understood by the majority of citizens and socialist voters.
