Sánchez squeezes the 'working economy' to put it at the service of his electoral plans

• Elections: Pedro Sánchez maneuvers to raise pensions before 10-N
• Elections.Sanchez now announces that it will unlock funds to the autonomous communities before 10-N

Pedro Sánchez wants to assert in electoral campaign the advantage of attending elections from the presidency, being able to approve economic and social measures that then support the candidate's speech and that, without a doubt, represent a substantial advantage over the rest of the formations . The problem is that Sanchez has held a presidency in office in recent months, which significantly limits the ability of a government to act. Or at least, so it should be in principle .

However, the Executive is squeezing and taking that provisional position to the limit, seeking all possible legal loopholes , reinterpreting the conclusions of the State Advocacy and promising measures without knowing exactly how to carry them out.

Autonomous Financing

The last and one of the clearest examples of electoral use of the working economy . During the negotiations with Podemos to try to form a government, the Treasury maintained at all times that without an Executive with full capacity to act it would be impossible to update the deliveries on account to the communities. According to the Ministry, this was estimated by the State Advocacy to which it conducted a consultation. However, almost at the same time when it was learned that there would be a new general election, the speech was completely altered. This change includes a reinterpretation of the aforementioned conclusion of the Advocacy, which specifically warned that a functioning Government could not update territorial financing as it would condition the ability of the next Executive to act.

But when the elections are called, Moncloa estimates that there will no longer be a new Government in 2019 to condition. The result is that Sánchez may include in his speech that he has been able to deliver 4.5 billion euros in financing of the autonomies . And, in fact, the confirmation that this will be done by the President of the Government in a rally only a few days after the Treasury denied it to the communities, as published in this newspaper.

Pensions

The Government has committed on numerous occasions to revalue the pensions "according to the cost of living" in 2020, that is, to link them to the CPI. Yesterday Pedro Sánchez made it clear again during an electoral act in Barakaldo (Vizcaya). However, the legislation that is still in force is the one that limits the increase to 0.25% in case of system deficit. For 2018 and 2019 the Government of Mariano Rajoy and the PNV closed an increase of 1.6%, which later the Socialist Executive decided to take up to 1.7% in the past year. But in 2020 the pension revaluation index should be reapplied, and only a measure that says otherwise or a new law can modify this situation. And for this, it is necessary a Government that can apply laws, that is, that is not in office.

But Sánchez wants to run for the elections with this closed increase, and thus be able to offer this electoral argument to the more than eight million pensioners in Spain. Therefore, according to EL MUNDO, from Moncloa, the State Advocacy has also been consulted on this point to analyze how the increase can be carried out, and if it would be possible to approve it by appearing to be a cause of “extreme and urgent need » . In doing so, the rest of the parties would undoubtedly criticize the measure by the electoralist but, at the same time, it is difficult to think that anyone dares to denounce the maneuver since it would run the risk of receiving the punishment of the pensioners. And Sánchez knows it.

Rise of officials

In this case, the Government has not been as sharp as with pensions and there is a possibility that, in the absence of an Executive, officials will not experience in January the salary increase of at least 2% that is included in the agreement multiannual signed by Cristóbal Montoro. However, public workers have already begun to press and union sources say the government could apply the same regulatory solution that will be sought for pensions.

Town Hall Investments

Last July, the Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (Femp) announced that it had reached an agreement with the Treasury whereby the city councils can "use the surplus to improve public services." This means that the acting Government agreed with the Femp to make the spending rule more flexible and thus allow them to raise spending. The Ministry tried to minimize the scope of the agreement, but the Socialist and President of the Federation, Abel Caballero, did not hesitate to affirm that it was a "historical" agreement in which they agreed " more than 10 proposals to make the rule of flexibility more flexible. expense ».

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

• Pedro Sanchez
• Pensions

Politics The PP barons explode against Pedro Sánchez for using campaign financing: "It's embarrassing"

Employment Employers and unions get tired of the blockade and agree on their own negotiations if there is no government

SpainPedro Sánchez describes the measures of the United States as "atropello tariff" and promises to defend Spain