Honeymoon over, Spain’s coalition tested by COVID

MADRID: Spain’s Socialist-led government marked its first 100 days in power by passing an emergency decree with the help of its eternal adversary the conservative People’s Party. But that rare show of unity merely masked deeper problems as the coronavirus crisis has cut the coalition’s honeymoon and triggered aggressive opposition to Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s national reconstruction masterplan.

“Do you intend to stand like Nero, playing the fiddle while Rome burns?” People’s Party (PP) leader Pablo Casado taunted Sanchez, even after supporting the state of emergency extension. “Don’t give up, Mr. Sanchez. Before talking about reconstruction, we must avoid destruction,” he added, opposing Sanchez’s talk of a national “pact” for economic recovery similar to one in the late 1970s after dictator Francisco Franco.

After four inconclusive elections in four years, Sanchez in January formed Spain’s first coalition government in

decades with the hard left Unidas Podemos party, another former foe of the Socialists, following delicate negotiations. Though strains loomed on issues from Catalan separatism to immigration and labor reforms, the coalition got off to a relatively smooth start, to the relief of investors in the European Union’s (EU) fourth largest economy.

Then along came COVID-19. Spain has had one of the world’s worst outbreaks, with more than 22,500 deaths. The crisis has shredded its economy, with hotels and beaches empty, crops unpicked in fields due to lack of foreign workers, and an 8% contraction forecast. While there has been solidarity around the lockdown in place since March 14, now that the infection peak has passed and attention is turning to easing restrictions and economic recovery, Sanchez is scrambling to find the broad support he needs.

For weeks, he has been calling for unity and reconstruction within both Europe and Spain - but he appears to have been more successful abroad, where Madrid this week helped push EU leaders into agreeing a 1 trillion euro emergency fund. “We see the pact in Europe for reconstruction moving forward. Perhaps it is time for it to move forward in Spain as well,” said Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya. But so far, among conservative opposition forces, only the 10 lawmakers of Ciudadanos party have said they will support his pact, while others parked the issue in a congressional committee. —Reuters