The failure of Nadia Calviño's candidacy for the presidency of the Eurogroup is terrible news for Spain. Calviño concurred with the express support of PP, Cs and Vox in Spain and that of Merkel and Macron in Europe, but she was defeated in a vote in which she initially counted on the yes of the most powerful powers in the Union. And it does so after the Government withdraws Arancha González Laya from the race to preside over the World Trade Organization with the aim of not dividing forces and strengthening Calviño's candidacy. Now Spain does not have either position -It remains, by way of consolation, the aspiration of Pedro Duque to direct the European Space Agency- and is mired in a painful irrelevance in the European concert when it is most necessary to be heard.

This fiasco forces an exercise in self-criticism. On the one hand, Sánchez should reflect on whether he really committed all his energies to betting on Calviño: he focused on the big ones and forgot small countries whose vote counts the same. Furthermore, the confrontations between his third vice president and his second vice president are no secret; the most notorious of all occurred when Calviño in the afternoon disavowed the pact to completely repeal the labor reform that Iglesias had defended in the morning. The defeat of the Minister of Economy weakens not only Spain in Europe but her own position in the coalition Executive , and will be a spur for the emboldening of Iglesias, whom Sánchez needs to complete the legislature. On the other hand, this failure only exacerbates the already old questioning of Spain's role in Europe, too light a burden for the fourth euro economy. It seems obvious, moreover, that María Jesús Montero's budget breaches have projected in Brussels the image of an unreliable country. And that does not help in the voting.

Calviño embodies moderation in a government coalition whose radical vocation is evident in structure, program, and alliances. Their defeat cannot come at a more inopportune moment. The recession that brings about the severe confinement already makes feel its worst effects on the Spanish society. The Bank of Spain, the IMF and the European institutions themselves predict that our economy will be one of the hardest hit in the world, precisely because it has been one of the hardest hit by the pandemic. The delay in decision-making -justified by Sánchez, in an amazing display of lack of leadership, due to the incomprehension with which they would have been received by the Spanish: as if they were minors, incapable of understanding the need for a confinement in time- it will end up translating into a severe crisis that will require European aid . The negotiation of the reconstruction funds is reached in advance with a feeling of defeat.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • Spain
  • Europe
  • PP
  • Maria Jesus Montero
  • Nadia Calviño
  • IMF
  • Pedro Duque
  • Vox
  • Eurogroup
  • Citizens
  • Arancha González Laya
  • Pablo Iglesias
  • Pedro Sánchez
  • European Union
  • Editorial

EditorialA fiscal ax that will worsen the crisis

EditorialThe end of a radical getaway

FRESH MONEY The Netherlands conditions the fund that Spain asks for more labor and pension reform

See links of interest

  • News
  • TV programming
  • Translator
  • Calendar
  • Horoscope
  • Classification
  • League calendar
  • Films
  • Cut notes
  • Themes
  • Huesca - Alcorcón
  • Ponferradina - Lugo
  • Atalanta - Sampdoria
  • Bologna - Sassuolo
  • Barcelona - Espanyol, live