Pedro Sánchez’s relationship with the Basque nationalist parties is an oasis of peace compared to the high tension of fierce and constant competition between his Catalan partners: Junts and ERC. The amnesty for those accused of the trial and the struggle within the Catalan independence movement to gain credit for forcing it have dominated the political debate for weeks, but that does not mean that the fronts of the future government will not meet also be found in other parts of Spain. The Basque nationalists made it clear this Thursday, on the second day of the investiture debate, that one of their priorities is to review the territorial model in order to open the doors to a “plurinational” Spain. The incumbent president and socialist candidate for re-election has shown that he is ready to face this debate in this legislative period, starting from one premise: the Constitution, he said, “must be interpreted in accordance with the current spirit of the times. “
The government already considered as “very legitimate” the proposal presented by the Lehendakari, Iñigo Urkullu (PNV) at the end of August, although it did not share it: a pact between the state and the “historic nationalities”, that is, the Basque Country, Catalonia and Galicia to change the Spanish territorial model. Acting Minister of the Presidency Félix Bolaños then praised the contributions to a “constructive debate” and the search for consensus “among different people”.
Sánchez has maintained this line today. After EH Bildu spokesman Mertxe Aizpurua called for this to be the legislative period in which he must give way to a “plurinational” Spain, the socialist leader declared: “Our constitution has the necessary resources to accommodate debates like the ones you have proposed approach.” And the rules must therefore always be interpreted in accordance with the spirit of the times. And one of the great virtues of the 1978 Constitution, in my opinion, is its ability to adapt to a reality that the voter knew would be mutable and change over time.” Sánchez added that in this one For example, it is possible to delve deeper into the “uniqueness” and “identity” of the Basque Country, which EH Bildu celebrated when she committed to “opening a debate about it”. the territorial model.”
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Aizpurua believes that the parliamentary majority supporting Sánchez, “a historic anti-authoritarian, plurinational and progressive bloc”, should allow “to open new paths that other states such as the United Kingdom and nations such as Scotland are already following: the path of democracy.” “. “Without haste or fear, with strategic foresight and patience,” he added, calling for an agreed independence referendum. The same path that ERC is now advocating and which the Constitutional Court has repeatedly declared impossible. Sánchez replied: “The debate should take place within the framework of the Constitution (…) The Constitution has the necessary resources to address debates like the one you mentioned.” Later, the socialist candidate added in his response to the PNV spokesman Aitor Esteban added: “The PP has used the territorial confrontation to create a legitimate debate in our country (…). The PSOE and the PP differ in “what we believe: that equality does not mean uniformity, but something different.”
Not only did the debate between Sánchez and the spokesmen of the Basque nationalist parties not include the accusations exchanged the day before between the PSOE candidate and the spokesmen of ERC and Junts, but the PNV even took the opportunity to criticize Alberto Núñez Feijóo his pacts with the extreme right. The day before, the leader of the PP had said that the PNV was “exchanging the tractor for the hammer and sickle”, and Esteban responded today with a verse: “Let’s see if he understands it with a consonant and an assonant rhyme: ‘Alberto. ‘ , Your tractor has a blocked engine due to the use of Vox oil.” The Peneuvista spokesman also left a message to the People’s Party: “One day I will tell what they offered us a few months ago,” he said, playing This refers to the PP’s attempt to win the PNV vote at the inauguration. Feijóo failed last September.
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Esteban described the pact with the PSOE as a “good agreement” and at the same time called for a more fluid dialogue than in the last legislative period. “I see the glass full; Let’s not spill any water now, Mr. Candidate,” he warned. “In order not to mislead us, I will say it loud and clear: if any formation that is part of the government thinks that after the investiture, all that remains is to divide the ministries and then do what they want , then it is completely wrong.” wrong.”
The nationalist spokesman even made a comparison with Sánchez’s love of basketball: “No one will deny that he usually has the ability to score the unexpectedly decisive three-pointer at the last second, at the horn, even though he was behind the whole game “,” he ironized, before emphasizing that he was more of a rugby player: “I’ll do what any moderately experienced scrum or opening midfielder would do: step forward and we’ll keep playing.” But no way . It will be a kick where the ball rises very high and has time to pick it up when it falls again. One to give the legislature a chance.”
Given the counterclaims of the PNV and the unpredictability of ERC and especially Junts, in these months, as in the last legislative period, EH Bildu has proven to be the most reliable and predictable partner of the government. On October 13, his spokesman Sánchez personally announced that he could count on the support of his six deputies during the investiture. “We keep our word. No games. No speculation. Without threats or warnings. We stick to our people and their democratic and popular mandate,” said Aizpurua, who claimed the key contribution of the independents and sovereigntists of Euskadi, Catalonia and Galicia: “We are the ones who prevent the reactionary bloc from coming to power today is coming.” Don’t let anyone forget it.”
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