A heated political battle has erupted in Madrid over an attempt to amend labor legislation. The proposal to reduce the maximum workweek from 40 to 37.5 hours failed to gain support in the Congress of Deputies. The reform received 170 votes in favor, but 178 against, effectively putting an end to one of the current government’s key projects.
Particular attention was drawn to the position of Junts, whose votes proved decisive. Their refusal to support the initiative highlighted the instability of the parliamentary majority the cabinet relies on. As a result, Deputy Prime Minister and Sumar leader Yolanda Díaz found herself in an extremely vulnerable position. This is not her first major setback: earlier, deputies rejected another law important to the government.
Government circles have not hidden their disappointment, but insist they are not giving up. Representatives of the PSOE and Sumar assure that they will return to the issue when there is a chance to secure the necessary support. At the same time, the Socialists make it clear: a new attempt will only be made if success is guaranteed.
The opposition, particularly the Partido Popular and Vox, seized the opportunity to accuse the government of lacking dialogue and being overly ideological. In their view, the proposed reduction in working hours would hurt small businesses and could lead to job losses. Junts also insisted that such changes could have a negative impact on entrepreneurs and employees, especially amid economic instability.
Yolanda Díaz, speaking from the podium, tried to convince opponents of the need for reform, emphasizing that millions of Spaniards would benefit from a shorter workweek. She accused Junts of defending employers’ interests rather than the Catalan independence movement, and reproached Partido Popular for spreading false information. Díaz also reminded that the profits of small and medium-sized enterprises have increased, arguing that their concerns are exaggerated.
In the end, the failure of the initiative became not only a personal defeat for Díaz but also a signal of the coalition’s fragility. The government now faces tough negotiations and the search for new allies if it intends to fulfill its social promises.
