Spain votes to establish "minimum living income"

Text by: RFI Follow

It's official, the socialist government of Pedro Sanchez has given the green light to a project long awaited by the left electorate, and by its ally Podemos: the establishment of a "minimum living income" and that to from June 15. One way to fight rising poverty in a country hit hard by the pandemic. 850,000 families should receive between 462 and 1,015 euros. This should cost the trifle of three billion euros.

Publicity

With our correspondent in Madrid, François Musseau

Podemos leader and vice-president of the left government, Pablo Iglesias, jubilant: "This  is the greatest social advance in Spain since 2006, when the law for the care and care of the elderly was adopted  " .

The approval of the minimum living income was part of the socialist government's electoral program, it was to come into force gradually during this mandate, but the coronavirus pandemic has accelerated things, because with the health crisis, inequalities have increased. excavated.

The goal is to lift one and a half million people out of poverty and ensure that everyone can earn an income that will keep them from going into hunger. This measure, one of the most important initiatives of the program of the left in power, starts from the observation that in Spain a quarter of people are in need and that 12% suffer from severe poverty, against 7% on average in the European Union.

It will now be necessary to harmonize this minimum living wage with other existing aid both at national and regional level. 

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• Spain
• Society
• Pedro Sanchez