Diario Sur - Diario de Málaga. Noticias de Malaga

Sections

Services

Highlight

Delete
Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez. Rober Solsona / Europa Press
Travel discounts end overnight as government loses key vote in Spain
Politics

Travel discounts end overnight as government loses key vote in Spain

Catalan nationalists Junts turn on ministers and with PP support defeat a decree that had been loaded with different measures

SUR

Madrid

Friday, 24 January 2025, 10:04

Users of public transport across Spain woke up on Thursday to find temporary subsidies suddenly at risk of ending and Spanish pensioners were worried their 2025 increase may be reversed next month.

On Wednesday, the government had a surprise and serious defeat in parliament. Catalan nationalists Junts, who have been propping up Pedro Sánchez's premiership with their MPs' votes until now, joined with the largest opposition party, the Partido Popular (PP), to inflict damage on the ruling coalition.

Ministers wanted to get three decrees past MPs on Wednesday. One, on extending the extra tax on energy companies' profits, was defeated. The next, on making more flexible rules on claiming a retirement pension and keeping on working, was approved.

And finally, a so-called "omnibus law" that ministers had packed with different motions - some popular, some less popular with MPs - into one single vote, failed, to the anger of the government.

In that final, failed decree was an extension to the temporary subsidy scheme on public transport that has been running for the last few years. Train operator Renfe announced it could not issue more of the reduced or free travel cards, but would honour existing ones until they ran out. Meanwhile, some local and regional authorities, including Andalucía, said they would continue paying their part of subsidies on bus or metro travel in their areas even if national government could not.

Pensions

Also part of the last vote was the annual increase in pensions. PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo accused Sánchez of being "immoral" and using pensioners as "human shields" to try to force approval of other new measures in the same vote. He added his party would table a request for a standalone vote on the pension increase instead, in order to get it through.

Meanwhile, the Junts party urged the PM to call a vote of confidence in his government and if he lost it to resign and call a general election.

Publicidad

Top 50
  1. 1 Communities of owners and tourist rentals in Spain
  2. 2 Travel discounts end overnight as government loses key vote in Spain
  3. 3 It's all about the bass for Kali T. Parkin - whether that's guitar or double
  4. 4 Vintage motors on display at Retro classic car show in Malaga
  5. 5 Rob Sas Rock Duo offer two free gigs on the Costa this weekend
  6. 6 Spanish minister is 'sure a Gib-EU deal will be reached'
  7. 7 Frivolous drag show returns to Salón Varietés Theatre on the Costa
  8. 8 Renovation of Las Presas pathway makes Fuengirola's green space more accessible
  9. 9 English-language talks to highlight Benahavís culture
  10. 10 Explora Journeys: experience a new way of sailing

Publicidad

Publicidad

Publicidad

Esta funcionalidad es exclusiva para suscriptores.

Comentar es una ventaja exclusiva para registrados

¿Ya eres registrado?

Inicia sesión
Espacios grises

Reporta un error en esta noticia

* Campos obligatorios

Política de privacidad

surinenglish Travel discounts end overnight as government loses key vote in Spain