The government ended the week with another strong discrepancy between coalition partners. While the PSOE and Sumar closed the day with EH Bildu on Thursday to reform the controversial gag law, two other issues have put a bitter note to further distance both parties. In addition to recent disagreements on housing, a matter that has historically exposed differing positions within the coalition government, there was also rejection of the Ministry of Social Security’s proposal to create a “flexible” sick leave. In a context of uncertainty about the possibility of approving next year’s budget and with Sumar seeking to drag the PSOE towards more leftist positions – a way to demonstrate their usefulness in the government – the party led by Yolanda Díaz has clearly distanced themselves from their partner, once again raising tension in the coalition.
The announcement by Minister Elma Saiz to create a new temporary incapacity “that is neither being at work nor on sick leave” and allowing workers to return to work partially after sick leave has angered the Ministry of Labor, headed by Vice President Yolanda Díaz. Sumar denounced that the proposal was launched without prior notice and without being discussed with them. The department emphasized that nothing will be changed or distorted in the way sick leave is conceived. From the perspective of the Ministry of Labor, everything related to this issue must be addressed from the perspective of preventing workplace risks and ensuring the health of workers. From the socialist sector, the first vice president called for reflection and dialogue on the proposal.
Another reason for friction on Thursday was once again related to housing, a topic that has been dominating public debate in recent weeks and has led to a major protest on October 13 to demand measures to lower prices. After Minister Isabel Rodríguez suggested withholding state funds from regions that do not apply the regulation on rental prices – a formula proposed by Sumar among the budget measures – Rodríguez softened her stance during the Conference of Presidents and spoke about “rewarding” territories that do apply the regulation. However, Sumar criticized this shift in approach and expressed concern about the social debate on this issue, especially at a time when housing affordability is a major concern.
Disagreements with the policies pursued by Minister Rodríguez are not new. Last March, Sumar made a formal objection in the Council of Ministers that approved the preliminary draft of the land law, which was eventually withdrawn from the Congress due to lack of support before the European elections. This issue is very sensitive to Sumar’s electorate, and even though Díaz’s group does not have competencies in this area, they have tried to make it a flagship issue, taking on the social unrest when housing costs have risen twice as fast as the salaries of younger people. In 11 months of government, coalition partners have defended opposing positions on several occasions, though the tone is far from the tensions seen with Unidas Podemos.
The latest tensions come at a time when the PSOE is in talks with Junts on the spending ceiling – a matter pending the outcome of the congress held by the separatists – and before the budget negotiation. Sources from Sumar acknowledge strong differences on parental leave. Díaz’s group wants to ensure that at least four of the eight weeks are paid and warned that Brussels has already opened an investigation against Spain for not implementing the European directive on reconciliation in a timely manner, which requires part of this leave to be paid. This disagreement highlights the ongoing challenges within the coalition government and the need for dialogue and compromise to address key issues facing the country.
