The parliamentary groups of the PSOE and the PP registered this Friday afternoon in the Chamber of Deputies the proposal to reform Article 49 of the Constitution in order to delete the term “disabled people” and replace it with “people with disabilities”, according to the agreement reached on the 22nd between the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, and the Chairman of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo. The registered text requires that the reform be processed under the urgency and single reading procedure so that it can be finally approved in January 2024, less than a month. The aim now is to achieve the greatest possible consensus among the political groups and, if possible, unanimity and to adopt the new text in full between January 16th and 18th. The agreement was concluded by the Minister of Justice Félix Bolaños and the Secretary General and number two of the PP, Cuca Gamarra, after several days of intensive contacts.
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The text of this third concrete constitutional reform – the previous ones were in 1992, to recognize the right to stand for election of Community citizens, and in 2011, to impose a limit on public spending – contains, in addition to the justification, the following: to justify its necessity, a single article with two points, as EL PAÍS suggested. The first of these will read as follows: “Persons with disabilities shall exercise the rights provided for in this title under conditions of actual and effective freedom and equality.” The special protection necessary for this exercise shall be regulated by law.” The second point reads: “The Public authorities will promote measures that ensure the full personal autonomy and social inclusion of people with disabilities in generally accessible environments.” They will also promote the participation of their organizations within the conditions established by law. Particular attention is paid to the special needs of women and minors with disabilities.”
The Minister of Presidency, Justice and Democratic Memory, Félix Bolaños, during an appearance in the Chamber of Deputies. Photo: JAIME VILLANUEVA | Video: EUROPA PRESS
The project, which the associations of those affected have been demanding for 20 years and who consider the word “disabled” to be “unworthy and outdated”, was agreed by the government, the PSOE and the PP with the Spanish Committee of People's Representatives on Disabilities (Cermi). The associations estimate that there are now around 4.5 million people with a disability in Spain.
Socialists and popular representatives have included in the agreement a timetable to deal with this constitutional reform with the greatest urgency in a direct and single reading, with the intention of approving its consideration next month in a monographic plenary session in Congress, which, according to the Parliament, The Sources could be called between January 16 and 18. The first session would open a formal 48-hour period for submitting amendments and the second session would give final approval to the reform, then send it to the Senate and immediately publish it in the state's gazette.
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Pedro Sánchez and Alberto Núñez Feijóo gave the final push for the agreement when they met last week – an unusual approach in the current climate of constant political confrontation. They had previously made a very similar pact in April, but it fell through due to the proximity of the two election campaigns in May and July. The PP then justified its halt to this initiative by not trusting that some partners in the executive branch, particularly the pro-independence parties, would not use the opportunity to open the door to other constitutional changes. An idea that has now emerged again as representatives warned that Sumar could make his seats available to join other groups and put forward other proposals for constitutional reform or even call for a ratification referendum.
Sumar denied this claim and, in fact, the new Minister of Social Rights, Pablo Bustinduy, from this formation explained this to the representatives of the affected groups and promised them his unwavering support. What Bustinduy has asked for is that the pact concluded between PP and PSOE be extended to all political groups from the presentation and registration of the proposal, which has not yet been definitively done but will now be pursued in full for the duration of its debate. The biggest problem in achieving unanimity is with Vox, which, although not against the replacement of the term “disabled”, does not trust either the PSOE and its allies or the PP and could propose changes before Parliament, as was the case with the previous agreement.