Spain Notes, Sept 15: amnesty drama
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1/ The Socialist Party has kicked a very senior old socialist, Nicolás Redondo (PSOE, UGT), out after he expressed disagreement on the amnesty idea.
2/ Redondo said in an interview with El Mundo at the weekend that a deal with the Catalan separatists now was the antithesis of the 1977 amnesty after the death of Franco as Spain transitioned to democracy.
3/ Former socialist PM Felipe González (PSOE) criticised the move, saying Redondo’s father had organised a general strike against him back in the 80s but that was no reason to boot him from the party.
4/ Former conservative PMs Aznar and Rajoy (PP) will join current party leader and supporters on Sept 24 at a rally in Madrid against the amnesty deal. The march is being organised by the PP.
5/ Abascal said Vox hasn’t been invited…
6/ Marching on Sunday means it will take place two days before a confidence debate begins in parliament, with Feijóo as candidate for PM, on Sept 26-27.
7/ Feijóo appears to realise he is just going through the motions: “I don’t have much hope, but my duty is to try”, he told a party meeting this week.
8/ Aznar called on people to mobilise for the march to oppose the amnesty. The goverment said Anzar’s attitude was “coup like”. Aznar replied that was rather “autocratic”. Feijóo said the government’s proposal was “immoral”.
9/ Basque nationalist chairman Ortuzar (PNV) travelled to Waterloo to meet Puigdemont, days after the Deputy PM, Diaz (Sumar) did the same. Such high level political visits augur well for Sánchez’s plan but portend much angst and gnashing of teeth on the right.
10/ A judge has ordered Rubiales to stay away from Jenni Hermoso, as the case of the World Cup kiss begins to wind its way through Spanish courts. He denies sexual assault and coercion.
11/ Almost all of the Spain women’s team members have issued another statement. They want what amounts to a complete restructuring of women’s football at the Spanish FA, along with the chairman’s office, the marketing department and the integrity department, “a safe space where women are respected”, before they will play for their national side again.
12/ A reception for the victorious World Cup women’s team at the Palace with the King, announced in August for a month in the future after the scandal broke, has now been scrubbed from the royal agenda.