The PSC is more than convinced that there will be no PSOE dissidents who will vote in favor of the investiture of Alberto Núñez Feijóo next week because “Sanchez's leadership” is not in question, they point out. At the same time, they leave the negotiations on a possible amnesty in the hands of the President of the Government and, in order for them to reach a successful conclusion, they insist on the need for these negotiations to be framed in “prudence and discretion”, however, they warn the pro-independence parties that they will not accept positions that fall into “division” instead of “constructive spirit” before the general policy debate that the Parliament will hold, coinciding with the investiture of the popular candidate.
At a press conference this Friday from the Catalan Chamber, the spokesperson for the socialist group, Alícia Romero, wanted to silence the noise surrounding the socialist deputies in Congress on the occasion of Feijóo's investiture. Faced with the call from multiple PP leaders to disobey their party's voting discipline in this investiture, the Catalan socialists close ranks with Pedro Sánchez. “I have no doubt that there will be no surprises, that Feijóo will not obtain the votes and Sánchez will be able to attempt the investiture,” Romero commented.
The leader has extended this conviction beyond the 19 deputies that the PSC has in Congress, guaranteeing that "the PSOE will go together" and that no one questions "Sanchez's leadership." This endorsement, unnecessary according to party sources given the good harmony between the President of the Government and the leader of the PSC, Salvador Illa, occurs two days before Sánchez visits Catalonia to participate, next Sunday, in the traditional Festa de la Rosa of the Catalan socialists.
The confidence is such in the President of the Government that the PSC leaves the negotiation with the pro-independence parties on a possible amnesty in the hands of Sánchez. “The PSC does not negotiate, it is not negotiating (…) This will not be done by the PSC, but by the PSOE with the president at the helm,” according to Romero. But in the Illa formation they insist on denying the words of ERC leaders when they assure that the amnesty has already been agreed through the agreement with ERC and Junts for the Congress Board, which allowed the presidency to fall to Francina Armengol. “We have always said that we make the agreements public and there is no agreement nor was there any in relation to the constitution of the Board of Deputies,” said Romero.
Given the holding, next week, of the general policy debate in Parliament, the spokesperson has also warned the pro-independence parties of the inconvenience of incorporating into that debate proposals that have to do with the negotiation for the investiture of the next president of the Government. . Aware that the pro-independence parties, and even En Comú Podem, will incorporate some proposed resolution in this sense, Romero has warned that his group will only vote in favor of those that have a “constructive spirit” and that do not deepen the “division.” in clear reference to self-determination and the holding of a referendum.
Looking ahead to this debate, the socialists do not plan to present proposals related to Spanish politics, but rather "about the political situation in Catalonia", where "we have significant deficits" and "the weakest Government in history", therefore, "the Spain's political position, it is not up to the Parliament to discuss it, but to the parties," he said.
Looking ahead to this debate, the socialists want to put emphasis on the Government's action, in particular, on the execution of this year's budget agreement, which the PSC believes there is a clear "delay." Even so, those of Salvador Illa are willing to talk about the next budgets, those of 2024. “Predisposition? Yes, but we also want explanations as to why the pace of execution is slow,” because “we sense that we are spending more than we had planned and this means more deficit for next year,” Romero warned.
