The PSOE will accept "technical amendments" of the PP to the law of the 'only yes' to guarantee its approval
The PSOE is now willing to accept “technical amendments” from the PP to the reform of the law of only yes is yes to guarantee its approval. After the clash with its coalition partner -Unidas Podemos- due to the way in which the reduction in sentences for rapists and sexual offenders that has allowed its entry into force must be stopped, the party of Pedro Sánchez necessarily needs the support of the main group of the opposition to be able to carry out his proposal.
The red line that the national leadership of Ferraz puts in that negotiation that has to take place this week in the Congress of Deputies is not to accept the increase in maximum sentences above what was included in the old Penal Code, whose recovery is the solution that it proposes to solve the “undesired effects” of the new norm. Regarding the rest of the issues raised by Alberto Núñez Feijóo's team, a priori there are no objections and there are even aspects that they believe can “improve” the final text.
Among the amendments registered by the PP, is the reintroduction of “sexual assault by deceit or abuse of trust or authority for minors under 18 years of age and over 16” because its declassification had “left adolescents outside the scope of protection against these behaviors committed by adults”. It also raises the responsibility of the legal person in cases of degrading treatment, workplace harassment or real estate mobbing.
Unidas Podemos has carried out its challenge to the end and has presented amendments to dismantle the only yes is yes law reform that its coalition partner unilaterally raised, situating violence and intimidation as “aggravating circumstances”.. The Socialists have already made it clear that the proposal of the purple formation, which they see “traced” to that of their parliamentary partners ERC and EH Bildu, “does not solve the problem” because “it does not avoid unwanted effects.”
For this reason, the only alternative left for the majority government party to put an end to the almost 1,000 reductions in sentences for convicts that have already taken place is to ensure that the PP will support their proposal.. He will face the opposition of the group that supports a part of his Council of Ministers, including the second vice president, Yolanda Díaz, who despite her friction with Irene Montero (responsible for the Equality portfolio) and Ione Belarra (Social Rights) For this matter, he has already announced that he will not break the voting discipline.
In this context, the President of the Government has argued in an interview published this Sunday by the Vocento group newspapers that no deputy, not even those who voted against the norm, “is in favor of reducing the sentences”. “Therefore, I apologize to the victims and we are going to put a solution to these unwanted effects,” Sánchez stated in his first public apology since the sentence review cascade began five months ago.
Calendar
The calendar that is managed is that the reform of the Law of Comprehensive Guarantee of Sexual Freedom -as it is officially called- is approved this Thursday in the Plenary Session of Congress and that it is ratified a week later by the Senate. In other words, just 15 days before the start of the electoral campaign.
Until now, the PSOE's position had been not to agree to negotiate any changes with the PP regarding its proposed law to reform the 'yes is yes', arguing that they would have to be the ones to “take a picture” explaining their position if they did not they allowed me to get ahead. With Ferraz's change in strategy, they are inclined to accept his “technical amendments” at the doors of the presentation and the Justice Commission that are held this Monday and this Tuesday in which the adjustments to the original text have to be finalized.