It’s been a long time since the Madrid City Council debated the amnesty law: 12 days. Then there was an extraordinary plenary session lasting just over an hour, in which the focus was on a single point: to show “the full support of the city of Madrid for the Constitution and the essential principles of our democracy” and also to make “the absolute” visible “reject” the PSOE agreement with Junts Per Catalunya. PP and Vox voted for it. This Tuesday there was a debate about the disapproval of the Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the government delegate in Madrid, the socialist Francisco Martín Aguirre. The PP abstained on this occasion and Vox accused the group led by Almeida of being “chickens that lay eggs but have none”.
Twelve days after the amnesty debate, the amnesty was discussed again in the monthly and regular plenary session. However, on December 4th there will also be another extraordinary plenary session on the Ferraz protests and will also ask for “absolute respect” for the results of the July 23rd parliamentary elections. In this case, at the request of Más Madrid and PSOE. Vox did not request an extraordinary plenary session because it does not have the necessary city councilors.
However, like any political group, it can propose any initiative in the plenary session. In theory. In practice, Javier Ortega Smith, the Vox spokesman, presented two proposals this morning. First, he called for the “cancellation or resignation” of the government delegate in Madrid and then presented another seven-point motion asking to “urge” the Congress of Deputies, the Senate, public administrations and “other institutions.” to act “within their spheres” against the amnesty law and, moreover, against the disapproval of President Sánchez.
Minutes before that vote, PSOE spokesman Reyes Maroto asked Almeida about Ferraz’s “violent acts.” “What measures will you take given the negative impact of acts of violence?” The mayor of Madrid has taken a stand, showing some images of the streets of Barcelona in October 2019. “They are Sánchez’s new best friends. Tell me Hamas is a terrorist group. No lessons. I’ll give you some advice: stay calm and eat lots of fruit.”
Smith arrived almost an hour late for the plenary session. He stood up from his seat, adjusted his jacket and went on stage to defend his two proposals with a white folder. Smiling, he said, “Thank you very much. There have been peaceful demonstrations against Pedro Sánchez’s coup since November 6th last year. There’s been a kind of parliamentary breakdown in the capital’s plenary session lately, an invisible aura that acts as an instant disconnect between council members every time the words “coup” sound from the loudspeakers – virtually every intervention by Smith and every Zwei times three from the PP council members – then many of them take their cell phones out of their pockets and answer a few messages, read the press or look at their social networks.
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“Facing the greatest political corruption that has ever occurred in Spain,” Smith continued, “and elevating criminals to the category of interlocutors and facilitating a referendum on state failure.” […] The PSOE is the party of Sanchista Otegui and Esquerra […] Sánchez is a threat to national unity. Sánchez is the worst prime minister in history because he betrayed Spain.” During these minutes of intervention, a PP councilor answered a call and covered his mouth as if he were a modern footballer, another looked at his cell phone and two of the five Vox councilors decided to chat with him. The halo of coups.
PSOE and Más Madrid have criticized Smith for his harsh parliamentary tone and rejected both proposals. However, in the other two cases, the PP abstained from voting, which is why none of them stood for election. Although the people’s representatives wanted to disapprove of Sánchez, they did not want to vote to pressure Congress, the Senate and other institutions to take action against the amnesty. “We are faced with a proposal that makes little sense,” said David Pérez, the PP city councilor who defended the abstention. “This proposal appeals to social institutions, groups and others who have already demonstrated against the amnesty. Yes, we share the last point [la reprobación]”We would support it if it were voted on points.” Plenary President Borja Fanjul then asked Smith about this possibility.
—Mr Ortega, would you accept a points vote?
-NO.
Minutes later, the riot broke out in the press room. Smith asked himself: “How is it possible for the PP to abstain?” We cannot understand that the PP has backed away from an obvious and clear proposal. We hope that the Senate [donde el PP cuenta con una mayoría absoluta] be a containment dam against the coup.” And the question time has begun:
—Why didn’t you want a points vote?
“That made our proposal weak.”
And he said: “The PP is the party of laying hens because they look like laying hens.” They must be roosters against this rabble. “They are chickens, they lay eggs, but they don’t have any.” Mayor Almeida later responded that Vox was “the best alibi” the PSOE had. “There is no better ally than Vox. Vox has become Pedro Sánchez’s best ally. “I won’t dwell on the grotesque ridiculousness.”
—Why is there so little talk about Madrid in plenary sessions?
— Isn’t it about Madrid when you tell Pedro Sánchez that we need 1,000 police officers? Doesn’t the Madrid speech mean that the amnesty law violates equality?
This Tuesday, at the proposal of the Spanish Painters’ Association, all groups approved the appointment of the painter Joaquín Sorolla as adopted son of Madrid. The PSOE has also suggested abandoning Ortega Smith. Más Madrid spokesperson Rita Maestre was absent due to a trip to the Guadalajara Book Fair (Mexico). This Monday marks the second anniversary of Almudena Grandes’ death. All groups – except Vox – voted in 2022 to dedicate a street to the writer and place a plaque on the door of her home, but everything is on hold.
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