On Monday, the leadership of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) met in Madrid to discuss the situation following the official breakdown of agreements with Junts. Despite rising tensions, there is no sign of panic among the Socialists: the party does not believe a possible Junts coalition with the opposition could threaten the current government’s position.
Pedro Sánchez, leader of the PSOE, urged his colleagues to keep their emotions in check and continue seeking common ground with the Catalan neo-convergents. He believes that only open dialogue and a willingness to compromise will allow Spain to maintain its progressive course. Within the party, most believe it was Junts who initiated the split, while the Socialists have fulfilled all obligations under previous agreements.
As an example of promises kept, Sánchez pointed to the adoption of the amnesty law, which, despite being approved in parliament, has yet to be applied to Carles Puigdemont due to ongoing court proceedings. In addition, last week Spain and Germany agreed to start discussions on granting Catalan official language status in the European Union—a major step amid the strained relationship with Junts.
Party Reshuffles and Response to the Tragedy
At the start of the meeting, the executive committee members observed a minute of silence in memory of the 229 victims of the devastating flood (dana) that occurred a year ago. Sánchez also proposed appointing Pilar Alegría as the official responsible for regional policy, a position previously held by the late Guillermo Fernández Vara.
The PSOE leader placed particular emphasis on the need for a national agreement to combat climate change, stressing that it was climate change that worsened the impact of last year’s disaster in Valencia. However, the opposition, represented by the People’s Party (PP), rejected this initiative despite a series of summer wildfires.
Government support and political accusations
Sánchez noted that the government allocated 8 billion euros to eliminate the consequences of the flood and support those affected. He also criticized the actions of Carlos Mazón, head of the Valencian Community, accusing him of an insufficient response to the tragedy and a lack of explanation regarding crisis management.
At the end of the meeting, the socialist leader emphasized that the party should highlight the government’s achievements, and also promised new support measures, to be announced in the coming days. Despite political disagreements and internal changes, the PSOE remains confident in its position and intends to continue its commitment to dialogue and cooperation.
