The PSOE stepped on the accelerator yesterday to close the Government agreement while Sumar faced the day without so much urgency. The complicated agenda of the president, Pedro Sánchez, for the rest of the week had a lot of weight in the alacrity with which the socialists approached the negotiation yesterday. Although, at the time of going to press, the agreement was not yet closed and was especially pending the reduction in working hours that Sumar demands, during the afternoon the negotiations progressed at a good pace. It was the unblocking of Sumar's claims related to housing and taxation that made it possible to accelerate the preparation of the roadmap for the coalition government. Although, pending the signing of the global agreement, the terms may vary, the socialists opened themselves to the possibility yesterday afternoon of establishing the rental price index to be able to determine the stressed areas, and also the regulation of tourist rentals, to which Sumar's spokesman, Ernest Urtasun, alluded in his morning press conference. Regarding taxation, the possibility of extending special taxes on banks and large energy companies, also mentioned by the spokesperson, was key to moving forward. The same thing happened with the guarantee of the maintenance of the purchasing power of the minimum wage and the modification of the regulation of dismissals, issues that were pending in the previous legislature.
In terms of conciliation and equality policies, provisional progress was also made in achieving paid maternity and paternity leave.
Another of the progress that emerged mid-afternoon yesterday, in this case in terms of ecological transition, was the possible suppression of internal flights on routes with a rail alternative of less than two and a half hours, which, if confirmed, could mean the end of the Madrid-Barcelona air bridge that will soon celebrate half a century.
