Yolanda Díaz is determined to assert herself with movements prior to the eventual formation of a Government chaired by Pedro Sánchez, still aspiring to the investiture. In the first meeting of the round of contacts opened by the socialist leader to gather the support he needs to be confirmed again as President of the Government, Sumar has reiterated the need to now reach a “programmatic” agreement, a “roadmap” for the future coalition Executive with the “focus” on social advances and labor rights.
Both coalition partners have given themselves the entire month of October to be able to seal this content agreement, which in principle would delay the investiture until November. In parallel, Sánchez will meet personally with the rest of the parliamentary groups except with Vox, whom the acting president of the Government had already announced was excluded from this round of contacts, and then the PSOE negotiating commission “takes over up to a agreement”.
The Secretary of State for Social Rights, Nacho Álvarez, explained at the end of the meeting between Yolanda Díaz and Sánchez that the positions between the two are still far apart. “There are still pending nuclear issues” before reaching an agreement that, if necessary, would allow a coalition government to be reissued.
“It cannot be,” he insisted, “that the next coalition agreement is an agreement that makes the Government work at a slow pace. It has to be an ambitious agreement.” According to Álvarez, the “most important” differences are identified in matters such as the reduction of working hours, the promotion of conciliation, the approval of a new 21st century Labor Statute that regulates dismissal and guaranteeing access to housing . “These,” he stressed, “are essential matters.”
In any case, at Sumar they are aware that the pressure has a limit and that is why they assure “not to contemplate a scenario other than that of the agreement to reissue the coalition government.” However, they emphasize: “The pact must be ambitious.” . And they assure that they will not accept as an excuse that other formations, not exactly left-wing, such as Junts or the PNV, are the ones that prevent it.