This is Pedro Sánchez’s institutional statement, on video and with its verbatim transcription
This is the institutional statement made this morning by Pedro Sánchez, President of the Government, after joining the Constitutional Court thanks to the Conservative majority (partly with the expired mandate) at the request of the PP to veto a vote in the Cortes General:
“Yesterday the Constitutional Court approved by a margin of 6 to 5, an unprecedented decision in 44 years of democracy. What it did with its decision was to paralyze the action of the Cortes Generales on a matter which, moreover, involves the renewal of the Constitutional Court itself, in accordance with the provisions of Magna Carta.
This situation has its roots in the decision taken by the main opposition party, the People’s Party, when it lost the elections and decided not to fulfill its constitutional mandate. Since then we have experienced an unprecedented situation in the history of our democracy, with the blocking of the renewal of the Government of Judges, the General Council of the Judiciary and also the Constitutional Court. A lock whose only purpose is to keep an earlier and more favorable composition for your orientation.
This blockade has been maintained for more than four years. During this period, citizens have followed various statements that we have made from the executive branch and from myself in particular, on the demand to respect the constitution and consequently to renew the constitutional organs. And we’ve also done it with various PP leaderships who have come up with various pretexts and excuses that only reveal the purpose of the PP to retain power by flimsy means that the citizens’ polls have not yet confirmed.
This has led to a situation that has worsened over the months, over the years, until it led to the decision adopted yesterday by the Constitutional Court. It is – as has been said by various political actors – a serious fact because for the first time the legitimate representatives, democratically elected by the Spanish people with their vote, are prevented from exercising their representative function, that popular will debate, in Parliament and Legislation.
And that is precisely why these are events that are unprecedented in the democratic history of our country, but also in no other country in the European institutional space.
Consequently, I understand the outrage of many Democrats that they feel violated in a fundamental principle of popular sovereignty – such as that of representation, that of debate, that of legislation; and I understand the concern of the public, confused by such a serious and unprecedented institutional clash, not only in our country’s democratic history, but also in the European context in which Spanish democracy functions. On behalf of the Spanish Government, I would like to convey a message of calm to all citizens.
Spain is one of the great European democracies and our democratic system has mechanisms in place to overcome a situation of this kind. And this mechanism, as befits a democracy, is no other, cannot be, will be no other than that of the law and compliance with the constitution.
Consequently, although we do not share the decision, the government, as could not be otherwise, sticks to the resolution adopted yesterday by the current conservative majority of the Constitutional Court.
And also, in accordance with the law, in accordance with the Constitution, the government will take as many measures as necessary to put an end to the unjust blockage of the judiciary and the Constitutional Court, thus putting an end to the Constitution and the people’s will prepare to be respected General for the year 2019 expressed in the elections.
In moments of uncertainty, composure and firmness are required. serenity in strict observance of the law; and determination to ensure respect for the Constitution and for the will of the people freely expressed in the elections.
Democracy requires respect for the law, respect for the will of the people, from which derives the legitimacy of all powers, including the judiciary. And for this reason I want to assure you that the Spanish Government will guarantee strict compliance with the law, the Constitution and absolute respect for the will of the people and consequently for the constitutional mandate.
Thank you very much”.