The Spanish business world has fragmented as a result of the political tension generated by the pact between the PSOE and Junts on the amnesty and which has allowed the inauguration of Pedro Sánchez as president of the government. Galvanized by the vehement rejection of the grace measure raised by Alberto Núñez Feijóo's PP and Santiago Abascal's Vox, a good number of businessmen, large and small, from Madrid and from the periphery, believe that Spain is on the verge of disintegration and the apocalypse. It is true that harsh reactions against any agreement that affects Catalonia, be it economic, administrative and management, or political and that is not sponsored by the PP, can always be taken for granted, they are already part of the tradition and of Spanish political culture. It is a secular constant.
But, in contrast to this rebellious reaction from the most plebeian sector of businessmen, the elite, which has become popularly known as the Ibex or the Ibex35, the stock market index that groups together the most relevant companies on the Spanish stock market, but which In political terms it includes the large family firms and part of the leadership of the two large Spanish employers' associations, it seems to have settled comfortably into an attitude of cautious silence regarding the future amnesty for those accused of the Catalan independence process.
Incarnation of the authentic power in the shadows that would impose policies and decisions on the Government in power, according to its critics, preferably on the left. Emblem of the Spanish push and its multinationals; market thermometer of the constants of the economy, according to the most conservative and liberal account.
Virtually no one from that select group, just a quickly corrected exception, has said a word in public about the matter. It is true that it is a bad thing to single out the disqualification of a political agreement, especially if it opens the door to the election of the President of the Government. If only because a good number of large Spanish corporations operate in businesses dependent on public regulation, if not directly on the concessions published by the BOE. Although they have not used any union, sector or corporate platform to do so either. Many of them have them, from construction companies (SEOPAN) or banks (AEB), to name just two.
On the other hand, when one of those champions of the Spanish economy feels mistreated by the Government, they do not have much problem proclaiming it from the rooftops. There is silence when it is considered convenient; but also a lot of noise when things don't like it. The newspaper archives are overflowing with critical interventions with decisions of the Government of presidents such as Ignacio Sánchez Galán (Iberdrola), in the recent past. Antonio Brufau (Repsol), these days. Ana Botín (Santander), when the banking tax was announced. To give just a few notable examples.
But now, in reality, it seems that things go beyond simple silence in a situation of much noise in Spanish politics and society. Although Catalan businessmen are the most directly interested in returning the waters that overflowed with the long political crisis that the process entailed, large Spanish companies also prefer a return to normality.
The CEOE, chaired by Antonio Garamendi, charged against the pacts but did not speak of amnesty, responding to the request of his Foment counterpart, Josep Sánchez Llibre, who behind the scenes has promoted the successful arrival of the political agreement. The Spanish employers' association has also distanced itself from the PP's line of action, advancing a proposal to increase the minimum wage by 3%. which secures the pact with the Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, who asks for 4%. This avoids the first clash between the government and businessmen.
The Family Business Institute (IEF), headed by Andrés Sendagorta, did the same and included an explicit reference to the fact that “the investiture of the new Government enjoys the benefit of its democratic legitimacy of origin,” in a hastily prepared statement.
It is no longer a secret that in the corridors of money power the refrain that sings the virtues of a Junts-PNV front that serves as a counterweight, in economic matters, to the PSOE-Sumar duet is increasingly heard. The song started in Barcelona and is already playing loudly in the rest of the offices in Spain. Perhaps with some delay in certain neighborhoods of Madrid.
The leadership of many of these star companies have already initiated the first, and logically very discreet, approaches towards the new partners of the Spanish government, who are cautiously returning from their cold Belgian refuge. In the contacts, very preliminary, according to the sources consulted, the conversations have focused on the economy, the proposals of the independentists on this matter, especially in the area of taxation.
The matter will take time, it is admitted, because the political turn that involves Carles Puigdemont, the former president of the Generalitat and undisputed leader of Junts, getting involved in the day-to-day life of Spanish politics cannot be expressed in a concern. priority for money matters. The negotiation, the agreements and, above all, the measures that are approved must open the door to political revenues, which the independentists receive as recognition of the national identity, and only then will they be able to enter the flour of the economy.
