“We socialists think that Spain must advance in that fair and supportive federalization that the Granada Declaration includes and build a more decentralized autonomous model with a greater capacity to integrate its diversity,” is how the PSOE summarizes its idea of the future of Spain in the Party’s Framework Presentation that will be debated at its next federal congress, which will be held in Seville at the end of November.
The document ‘Spain 2030. A socialism that advances, a Spain that leads’ will be the subject of debate, and amendments, in the congress that will re-elect Pedro Sánchez as head of the party and that will mark the roadmap for the coming years of the party that La Moncloa currently governs in coalition with other leftist parties. For this, look to 2013, when the call was approved ‘Granada Declaration’which included a territorial pact agreement that included José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero’s idea of including the names of the autonomies in the Constitution.
One issue, the inclusion of names in the Constitution, which would close the autonomous framework that sectors of Leonese society, and the Leonese PSOE itself, are asking to open so that the province of León, or the Leonese Region, can become a new autonomy. The socialists do formally commit to including in the Constitution “the advances achieved by Spanish society so far this century” such as equal marriage, the right to abortion or health care.
The PSOE itself, at the head of the León Provincial Council, approved the so-called ‘Leonese motion’ last June that calls for its own autonomy, a situation that after escalating in national politics was extinguished by Ferraz, the socialist federal headquarters in Madrid, pointing out that It was “a wake-up call” and “wasn’t going anywhere.”
In the party’s Framework Presentation, it is addressed that progress must be made “towards the federalization of the State” with proposals such as improving “vertical and horizontal cooperation, formally defining the Conference of Presidents as the directing body of co-governance actions” or creating new ones. ways for the Autonomous Communities to participate in state affairs. They promote a reform of the Senate as a “Territorial representative chamber that reflects in a balanced way the will of the Autonomous Communities” and transfer more powers if requested, as well as update the Statutes of Autonomy pending reform. They also include here betting “on the protection, study and use of co-official languages in all areas, inside and outside our territory”
The autonomous PSOE of Luis Tudanca has challenged the provincial of Javier Alfonso Cendón, in the midst of their open confrontation over internal power, to take the issue of Leonese autonomy to the federal congress. Until November 19, territorial organizations can submit amendments debated internally.
current of opinion
The new statutes of the PSOE will not allow, a priori, the birth of an official ‘Leonesista’ current of opinion among the socialists, although a good part of the party in León supports this option, which is significantly led by the mayor of León, José Antonio Diez.
The PSOE has established that “Currents of opinion will be constituted and recognized exclusively at the federal level without organic representation or permanent structure at any other territorial level.” Among the requirements, “within respect for the Statutes, Program, Resolutions and decisions of the governing bodies of the PSOE”, it must be endorsed by at least 5% of militants belonging to a minimum of five regional federations or of nationality.
