The Congress of Deputies approved on Thursday the labour reforma rule that came with the resounding endorsement of the main trade union centers and employers, but which, as could be verified, had weak political support. In fact, the project went from catastrophe and the way in which it was ratified caused astonishment, when it was known at the same time that a PP deputy had mistaken his telematic vote and had voted in favor and that the two UPN deputies, whose leadership had agreed a ‘yes’ with the Government, failed to comply, without warning, with their party’s agreement and voted against the ratification of the decree law. The shadow of the tamayazo crossed like lightning the hemicycle. Had it not been for the popular deputy’s mistake, the project would have been repealed, but it was approved in the middle of a sultry showthat the labor reform, due to its importance, did not deserve.
Despite the shameful situation experienced in Congress, the initiative passed the essential parliamentary process, which is good news in itself. Because we are talking about a transcendental project for the country, which recover rights that were cut off from the workers by the Government of Mariano Rajoy in 2012 and comes to combat precariousness and temporality in the jobs. Its approval is also linked to the requirements that the European Union demands of Spain to disburse the 140,000 million of Next Generation funds.
Apparently, these were not sufficient arguments for the Government to form a solid majority around this norm, since investiture partners, who have practically always been on the side of the Executive in this legislature, such as ERC, PNV or Bildu, decided, for different reasons, not to support it, at the risk, as was seen, that the project would decline. It would have been unfortunate news due to the consequences it would have had for the workers in a situation of greater weakness and it would have wasted the efforts that both the Government and the social agents had to deploy previously to achieve the pact sealed by UGT, CCOO and the CEOE.
The search for parliamentary support for the ratification of this norm also divided the coalition partners, PSOE and United We Can, because some, with the complicity of Pedro Sanchez, sought cross-sector support in parties such as Ciudadanos or the PDECat, which ultimately backed the decree, while the others, led by Yolanda Díaz, tried unsuccessfully to attract the majority to their positions. of investiture. You could say that both sides have failedbecause, in view of the vote, neither Sánchez has managed to constitute a solid alternative majority nor did Díaz manage to convince Esquerra, PNV and Bildu, which highlights the instability of the government and the fragility of its parliamentary support. It now remains to be seen the magnitude of the wounds that this episode has caused among the investiture partners and how these can be healed.
It is not a minor matter PP overacting and his accusation of “ripping” the president of Congress, Meritxell Batet, for preventing the deputy who made a mistake from correcting his vote. That possibility is ruled out in the regulations, unless a computer error had occurred. But if the unfortunate spectacle of Thursday is added to the doubts expressed by the popular about the cleanliness of the scrutiny, the breeding ground for the discredit of democratic institutions is served.