From truce to ultimatum: Allies demand Sánchez change course

Pedro Sánchez's long-awaited appearance in Congress following the outbreak of the Cerdán case arrives this Wednesday. And he does so with the coalition government—and with it, the entire legislature—on the brink of collapse. The president has run out of time, having given himself three weeks ago when he postponed his intervention, citing a busy international agenda. His objective was to buy time and gauge the extent of the Koldo case's tentacles in its most uncomfortable ramification: the one aimed at Santos Cerdán, his right-hand man in the party. The investiture bloc is on the lookout; they don't want to be dragged down by the crisis. But if Sánchez has run out of time, his executive partners are running out of patience after several weeks of demanding that he take action and leave behind the immobility of a PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party), which, they claim, "remains in a state of shock." Sumar supports this urgency with a call for consensus to agree on the package of anti-corruption and democratic regeneration measures that Sánchez will present in his appearance. "He must choose whether he wants to represent the entire coalition government or just the PSOE," insists Yolanda Díaz's team. Read also Sánchez tries to revive the PSOE: "The captain is staying to weather the storm." Juan Carlos Merino Wednesday's meeting will therefore be more than a parliamentary intervention. Divided into two blocs—to separate the debate on corruption from the rearmament plan demanded by NATO—it will mark a turning point. Sumar and the investiture bloc warn: either Sánchez guarantees democratic regeneration and a clear direction, or the rope may snap. Although the investiture bloc is still holding out, it's not because of confidence in regeneration, but because of the extremely high cost of paving the way for elections that would favor the right and ultranationalists, who are growing in the polls. "It would mean a dizzying social decline that would impact the loss of rights and aid for the most disadvantaged," say sources at Sumar. Yolanda Díaz granted the PSOE a truce for the federal committee, but now demands a firm step. Therefore, following the strategic truce granted to the PSOE to resolve internal tensions in the federal committee on Saturday, Yolanda Díaz and her group have toughened their approach, seeking to break Sánchez's paralysis and force an "ambitious compromise" to relaunch the legislature. Sumar is confident that in the next 48 hours, a solid package of anti-corruption measures and measures aimed at social progress can be concluded with the Moncloa government. The message was summed up yesterday by the confederation's spokesperson, Ernest Urtasun: "Resistance is not enough; trying to prolong the legislature without doing anything, in an agonizing manner, is not going to be a solution." But Sánchez doesn't just have to convince Sumar. In the chamber, he will also face harsh criticism from several investiture partners, such as Podemos and ERC, who are also awaiting definitive measures against these behaviors, as well as a push for the social agenda—especially in housing—that could change the pace of the legislature and ensure it lasts until 2027. Read also The standoff between the PSOE and Sumar deepens five days before Sánchez's appearance. Asier Martiarena Junts and PNV will also be closely monitoring the Prime Minister's speech. Carles Puigdemont's party has not been the most critical of the government on this occasion and has made their continued support conditional on compliance with the agreements reached at the start of the term. For its part, the PNV (Basque Nationalist Party) has asked the Socialist leader for "a sincere speech" and "proof" that will allow the implications of the Koldo case to be clearly defined and maintain confidence in the government. Today, La Vanguardia published an interview with Fernando Clavijo, the president of the Canary Islands, in which he requests a vote of confidence. Clavijo's party, Coalición Canaria, is connected to the PNV by multiple historical ties. As of today, the government remains in place. But this Wednesday will be the day of reckoning. Either Sánchez succeeds in reviving the joint project, or the partners will seriously consider abandoning ship, each following their own logic of survival. And also... the reform of the Regulation The PSOE and its allies aim to approve a reform of the Congressional regulations this July to sanction agitators accredited by so-called pseudo-media outlets, who spread hoaxes and fake news and hinder the parliamentary work of the press. The measure responds to complaints from most professional groups against the unacceptable behavior of these far-right activists, which in some cases includes threats against journalists on social media. The reform, supported by Sumar, ERC, Junts, Bildu, PNV, BNG, and Coalición Canaria, will regulate the renewal of accreditations, create an advisory council with the power to propose sanctions, and require journalists to respect the rules of parliamentary courtesy, under threat of temporary suspension or withdrawal of their credentials. Only the PP and Vox, whose press conferences are not subject to these incidents, have opposed them. The amendments will be voted on tomorrow, Tuesday, and the final text could be approved in the plenary session on the 22nd.