Pedro Sánchez’s speech before the European Parliament was postponed until after the Spanish elections

2023-06-02 17:17:00

They postponed the speech that Pedro Sánchez was going to give. Photo: AFP.

the european parliament postponed until September the inaugural address of the Spanish pro tempore presidency of the European Union (EU), pending the holding of the general elections in Spain, which may mean a change of authorities.

Parliamentary sources specified that Madrid requested the postponement of the speech that the president of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, was going to give on July 13 before the plenary session in Strasbourg, also taking into account that it will be a moment of electoral campaign for the elections on the 23rd of that same month, reported the Europa Press news agency.

Sources from the Moncloa Palace confirmed that this Friday they sent a formal request to the president of the EurocámaraRoberta Metsola from Malta, from the European People’s Party (EPP), and clarified that the request had already been made informally on May 30, the day after the decision to bring the elections forward was announced.

The call to the polls means, in practice, the liquidation of the current legislature and the progressive government, and sets in motion a brief space for negotiations between parties ahead of the elections

Spain assumes the rotating presidency of the EU on July 1. In the traditional speech, the leaders announce what the priorities will be during the mandate, which lasts six months.

Before the request of the Spanish government became known, the leader of the PPE, the German Manfred Weber, sent a letter to Metsola asking him to postpone Sánchez’s speech until after the elections.

In the letter, dated Thursday, the EPP says it has to be the president-elect who presents his priorities for the European semester away from “domestic political battles”.

Meanwhile, from the socialist ranks in the European Parliament they highlighted the “institutional responsibility and loyalty” of Sánchez with the European Parliament renouncing the speech for the moment and criticized Weber for meddling in Spanish politics.

Sánchez decided to anticipate the general elections after the defeat of the ruling party in the regional and municipal elections that were held last Sunday

“Weber and the Popular Party, as always, try to make partisan and manipulative use of the European institutions, putting their interest before the general interest and that of Spain. Once again, the PP has shown itself to be an irresponsible opposition,” said the leader of the Socialists in the European Parliament, the Spanish Iratxe García, who accused the EPP of “torpedoing” the current presidency of Spain.

Sánchez decided to anticipate the general elections after the defeat of the ruling party in the regional and municipal elections that were held last Sunday, in which the PP won important mayoralties, such as Seville and Valencia, in addition to revalidating the governments of the city and the region of Madrid with an absolute majority.

In addition, the far-right formation Vox, obtained the necessary votes to support the conservatives in numerous places.

The call to the polls means, in practice, the liquidation of the current legislature and the progressive government, and sets in motion a brief space for negotiations between parties ahead of the elections.