Institutional statement by President of the Government

Moncloa Palace, Madrid

Good day to you all. Thank you for attending this press conference.

I wish to begin this speech by sharing with the Spanish people a personal conviction, which is that one of the responsibilities of the Presidency of the Government is to offer the Spanish people a horizon, a future, to conquer; a model of society to build. And to do so explaining the reasons and arguments behind the horizon proposed and behind the decisions taken by the government.

And that is what I seek to do in this statement.

Almost nine months ago, the first vote of no confidence was passed in the democratic history of our country. The reasons why this prevailed are known to each and every Spanish person. The party that previously headed up the government was condemned for illegal party funding and unlawful enrichment. Investigations are still ongoing even now and the various ramifications of this network of corruption continue to be tried in the courts.

Almost nine months ago, Spain suffered from a government that was more intent on defending itself in the courts than in defending the general interests of the Spanish people; a government beset by corruption and immersed in a legislative paralysis; a government that did not attend to urgent social needs that a good many citizens of our country were and are still suffering from.

The fact that the party then in government, and its main parliamentary supporter, did not attend to its political responsibilities led to a majority of the Lower House of Parliament backing a change of government through a vote of no confidence. And it did so legitimately; it did so through the application of Article 113 of the Spanish Constitution. This article provides for the formation of a government deriving from a vote of no confidence with democratic and constitutional legitimacy, something I wish to stress. Elected by a majority of the seats in the Lower House of Parliament, which are elected, in turn, through the ballot box by the citizens of a democracy which, let's not forget, is a parliamentary democracy. We should remember that, and never forget it.

We would also do well to remember that this constitutional article requires that the nature of the vote of no confidence is constructive. And I feel it is important to dwell for a moment and underline this characteristic. It must be constructive because by doing so this offers stability, certainty and confidence to our political system.

You are not voting anybody out but voting to form a new government with a new political manifesto. And that is what happened back in June last year.

That is what we did - respect the letter and the spirit of the Spanish Constitution, form another government and offer another alternative, another horizon which was necessary, furthermore, for our country.

We appointed a government of capable individuals, of people who are socially and internationally renowned figures in their respective areas of responsibility. In short, an open and unbiased government; a government willing to reach agreements with others. Consensus, agreement and avoiding tensions are all necessary in our country. A government with a clearly pro-European vocation and progressive convictions. A left-wing government with a social commitment, and with the highest number of women of any cabinet in an OECD country.

I thank all of them for their commitment and hard work over these months.

A government that had a firm conviction to govern to the benefit of the majority, to unite the Spanish people rather than confront them; a government above any ideologies resolved to unite the Spanish people and offer a collective response to the challenges we are facing as a society: digitalisation and the technological revolution, employment and a renewed business drive, climate change and rural depopulation, and the sustainability of our Welfare State. A government committed to strengthening our democratic institutions, and particularly the State of Autonomies, gender equality, the fight against all forms of inequality and social exclusion, educating our children, the health of our loved ones and the pensions of our elderly.

The horizon we proposed to the Spanish people to move towards can be summed up in three main pillars: first, the consolidation of economic growth while respecting the environment and the creation of decent jobs. That is the first pillar. The second is the reconstruction of our Welfare State so as to redistribute the fruits of growth and lastly, strengthening our democratic institutions.

As a result of this hard work, and I would like to underline this because it is the first time that a vote of no confidence has been passed, from the very outset we put all the State's mechanisms in motion, not only so that the State did not come to a standstill, but also to redirect many policies towards options and policies with a progressive and social content. As a result of this hard work, in little more than eight months in government and after years of paralysis, 13 Laws have been approved by Parliament together with more than 25 Royal Decree-Laws. EU Directives have been transposed that had been left on the shelf, which if they had not been transposed would have threatened the public purse. And Spain has recovered its place on the European and international stage, which was necessary.

In order to bed down growth and job creation, which was the first pillar, the government approved at the outset a Dignified Employment Plan, which managed to convert some 50,000 unstable jobs into permanent employment contracts.

The minimum wage has been raised by 22%, thus bringing us closer to the goals sent in the European Social Charter. The degree of protection for independent contractors has been raised, which accounts for more than 3 million men and women in our country.

Economic policies and resources have also been mobilised for small- and medium-sized municipalities to fill dying areas of Spain with job opportunities. Measures have been pushed through for the ecological transition of our energy system, which is fundamental to fight the global challenge of climate change. The sun tax has been abolished. Resources have been committed to fighting energy poverty.

A new Mortgage Act was also approved, the science sector has been given a major boost, which had been vilified for seven years under the previous administration. Investments have been boosted in certain infrastructures that were necessary for our country, and the commitment not only of this government, but also of the whole of society, to re-industrialisation, the primary sector and artistic and cultural creation have been reasserted.

This economic policy was complemented with a firm commitment to clean up our public accounts, and the result of this economic policy, which was strict but not exempt from social commitment, has meant that economic growth in Spain has been sound, and better than the other main European economies, and that 2018 closed with job creation rates that were very similar to those we enjoyed before the crisis in our country.

The second goal was for the fruits of this growth to be redistributed to the social majority of our country. Spain is a country that has a fundamental problem - inequality; social inequality, gender inequality and also inter-generational inequality. There are many young people suffering from a lack of opportunities, from insecurity and difficulties in gaining their emancipation. Hence, it is not useful or fair to have growth that is not redistributed across the whole of society.

Hence, the goal we set was to rebuild the Welfare State. To do that, we recovered the universal nature of public healthcare. We guaranteed the purchasing power of pensions. We reversed the cuts in education and grants. We pushed through the State Pact to Combat Gender-based Violence. We recognised the right to vote of 100,000 people with disabilities who were not previously afforded this right. We pushed through a new Law to fight and protect children from any form of abuse or violence. We strengthened the resources in the fight against childhood poverty, which affects 28% of boys and girls in our country.

We committed to the 2030 Agenda, and we strengthened civil and procedural legislation on incapacity due to disease, which also affects the elderly.

And the third goal consisted of strengthening our democracy and institutions, what is known as democratic regeneration. Not only by establishing an open and exemplary government and bringing an end to a government plagued, as I said before, by corruption, but we also proposed guaranteeing a Spanish Public Radio and Television Corporation that was objective and plural. We enhanced the Historical Memory Act, thus responding to the mandate from Parliament and we complied with the legal mandate under the Historical Memory Act to exhume the dictator from the Valley of the Fallen.

We also set up a new macro-prudential authority to supervise and offer a response to future crises in the financial sector that hit the middle and working classes so hard in our country. And we pushed through two constitutional reforms that had been widely called for and demanded by society and certain groups.

A constitutional reform to do away with privilege and immunity for politicians, and a constitutional reform to stop calling and speaking about people with disabilities or with different disabilities as "physically or psychically diminished or with sensory deficiencies", which is what how they were previously classified in our Constitution.

On this point, I don't want to forget how we have strengthened the public authorities with the largest Public Employment Offer of the decade, which has been launched during these last eight months in government, and the wage rise made by the government to public servants. And, of course, how we have strengthened the State of Autonomies by holding sector conferences between the government and the different regional governments contained in the Statutes of Autonomy and which, unfortunately, had been abandoned by the previous government during the previous seven years.

The government's intention has always been the same, which has characterised the Socialist Party and myself when I was Leader of the Opposition, and now, as President of the Government.

Within the Constitution and under the law, we are willing to talk, to engage in dialogue and to find solutions. Everything is possible under the Constitution, but nothing outside of the Constitution.

Each and every regional government is aware of that, as is the opposition. The only difference between what has happened today and what happened eight months ago, before the vote of no confidence, is that previously, the government of the People's Party could count on the institutional loyalty and the unequivocal support of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party, and on me. In contrast, at present, unfortunately, in the eight months that we have been in power, we have not been able to count on the loyalty to the State of the conservative opposition.

Hence, bedding down growth and job creation. Rebuilding the Welfare State, because it is important to grow, but above all it is important to redistribute this growth and improve the democratic quality of our country with institutions and, in particular, with the State.

And all of this, I stress, has been materialised through more than 20 Royal Decree-Laws and 13 Laws that I believe have helped improve Spain, that is clear. This has placed our country in a position to enjoy more growth, social justice and exemplariness. And all of this, I stress, in little more than eight months.

But, together with what we have achieved - which has been a great deal, and of importance to this country - I should remind you of what has been blocked and paralysed, not due to the lack of a parliamentary majority, which existed, but due to the opposition using institutions for party interests. Due to an opposition that has not paid heed to reason, which is outside of the boundaries of common sense and moderation which is required when one wants to head up the opposition. Due to an opposition that has not placed the general interest above other considerations. It has placed other interests first, but clearly not the general interest. It has blocked the passage of important laws, very important laws, in the Lower House of Parliament. Very important laws for the well-being and prosperity of our citizens, regardless of who they vote for in the elections.

For example, the Euthanasia Act was blocked. The repeal of the Gag Law was also blocked. The repeal of the Labour Reform was also blocked. The amendment of the voto rogado was also blocked which would allow those Spaniards who live overseas to take part in elections. Other important laws have also been blocked, such as on labour equality and the fight against the wage gap. The passage of the Law on stolen babies was also blocked, as well as on external university academic practice, energy poverty and protection for the unemployed. As indeed was the Law on the sustainability of our pension system to guarantee that the purchasing power of our pensioners is not prejudiced.

All of this has been blocked, paralysed, not because there was no parliamentary majority to push them through, but because of the parliamentary filibustering of the People's Party and of Ciudadanos which had a majority on the Board of the Lower House.

And finally, the passage of the social Budget has been blocked, and I wish to stress this, a social Budget, after seven years of social injustice, of austerity, of cuts in the Welfare State. And as a result of this inequality and lack of opportunities for certain groups, they are now more vulnerable as a result of party interests.

This social Budget would have revitalised, to quote just a few examples, our national system of long-term care, which was abandoned for seven years by the government of the People's Party, unemployment protection for the long-term unemployed over the age of 52, housing policies and, above all, rental policies to help emancipate young people at a much earlier age. Education, with a major boost to grants. Vocational training, youth employment, boosting science and bringing back talent which was forced to leave as a result of the cuts during these last few years of the crisis. The just transition of our economy supporting those districts that will be affected as a result of this enormous challenge posed by climate change and the consequent change of our energy sector. This Budget would have also helped lower the fiscal burden on small- and medium-sized enterprises.

In short, a good Budget for the people of Spain and for each and every region of our country.

When I say "each and every", I wish to convey a message to the Spanish people. With all this, and despite the Budget not going through - because that is what the opposition decided - I wish to state that the rise in pensions for our pensioners, which the Government of Spain has committed to, the rise in the minimum wage and the increase in the salaries of public servants approved by the Government of Spain with or without a Budget are all guaranteed. That is the commitment of the Government of Spain, and we will meet that commitment.

After almost nine months of progress and good transformations for the Spanish people, this week the government, which means Spain, has come up against a brick wall in the form of the rejection of the most social Budget of the last decade in our country. And as such, if it is the most social, then it is the most necessary for our country.

And the quandary we are facing as a government is clear. And for me as the President of the Government; to either continue governing with a Budget that is not ours and that does not meet the social demands that our country requires, or believe, as I do, that Spain does not have a minute to lose. Spain needs to make progress and not go backwards. Spain needs to start, with all our collective efforts and energies, to tackle the major transformations we need if we want to build the Spain that we want to see.

Between these two options, of not doing anything and continuing without a Budget or calling elections and giving the voice to the Spanish people, I choose the second.

Spain must continue to make progress. It must continue to make progress through tolerance and respect. With moderation and common sense, and excluding politics of constant tension. We need growth and the creation of quality jobs, and the redistribution of wealth. We must consolidate and recognise not those rights and liberties that we have achieved over these last 40 years, but rather extend the capacity and scope of these rights and liberties, strengthening social cohesion and territorial cohesion as the sole guarantor of maintaining the unity of Spain.

For this reasons, I announce to you that in the exercise of the powers I hold as the President of the Government of Spain and following deliberations at the Council of Minister, I have proposed to dissolve Parliament and call general elections for 28 April.

I have notified H.M. the King of this decision and, as you are aware, pursuant to the provisions of Article 115 of the Spanish Constitution, both the proposed dissolution of Parliament and the setting of the date to hold elections that I have announced to all the Spanish people will be carried out, as it must, through a Royal Decree-Law that will be published in the Official Journal of Spain in due time and form.

I am convinced that it is possible to recover useful politics for our citizens, to recover tolerance, respect, common sense, moderation and put the tensions in our country behind us.

Spain belongs to its citizens; it does not belong to any political party. It belongs to the Spanish people; it is theirs. And now, they must decide if we take steps backwards or push on to achieve the Spain that we want to see.

In the next legislature, we must consolidate the Spain of the next decade, and of the next generation; the Spain that will be governed by today's young men and women. The decision, as it has always been, is in the hands of the Spanish people. They will decide on the future of Spain through their vote and whatever they decide will, as always, be the right decision.

Thank you.

Q.- Ketty Garat, from Libertad Digital. Good afternoon; how are you, President of the Government? I wanted to ask you very directly why you aren't going to dissolve Parliament straight away today. It will be dissolved in three weeks' time, on 5 March, to call elections for 28 April, and in that time symbolic matters will be approved by this government, starting today with the LOMCE, draft laws that foreseeably won't see the light of day in this legislature and which may lead the opposition to say that you are starting your election campaign out of Moncloa Palace in this period. Hence, I ask you directly why you have not opted for the date of 11 April, which would mean that Parliament is dissolved today? Thank you.

President of the Government.- Thank you, Ketty. Whenever one takes a decision there are always people who might consider that another date would be better. I feel that this is a good date. Firstly, because it is important to talk about Spain and not to mix matters. When the right-wing holds a demonstration in Colon Square it is not demonstrating against the independence movement in Catalonia, it is demonstrating to say that they want to throw out [Pedro] Sánchez. And hence, that is another matter. The question is, what Spain do we want to see? What Spain do we want to advocate?

It is clear that the right wing, with its three parties, advocates a type of Spain in which many of us don't fit; in which only they fit. We advocate a different Spain, an inclusive Spain, a Spain in which we can all find our place. And I believe that this is the question. The question is to talk about our country, about what future we want to give people. So we want a constitutional Spain, proud of its rights, of its liberties, that makes transformations to win its future, not which lives in the nostalgia of past times that will never return, and that doesn't need to be better, quite the opposite. And that is the question that the political parties must propose to the Spanish people. What Spain do we want to see? And, of course, I believe that our project shown over these almost 10 months of my mandate as the President of the Government and of my government has been quite clear: to modernise our economy, to create decent jobs, to redistribute growth, to exercise politics with humility, nobility, exemplarity, with clean hands and to strengthen our State in all aspects: our institutions, respecting the Lower House of Parliament, Parliament and also the State of the Autonomies; and being firm in our convictions, humble in our approaches, while also decisive in the need to win our future as a country.

There are many challenges ahead, I have said this before. There are not only the urgent challenges, such as wages and jobs for workers, but also the education of our sons and daughters. There is also our healthcare system and how to sustain the public pension system. We need to open up debates related to the digital revolution, to re-industrialisation, to climate change and the type of democracy that we want. In short, the type of country we want to live in.

Some propose a country in which only they fit. We advocate a country in which everyone has a place. That is the great difference between the photo of Colon Square and what this government advocates and has advocated over these last eight months and will continue advocating during the election campaign.

Q.- Carlos Cué from "El País". Yes, thank you very much. President of the Government, you have always said to us that you wanted to see out the legislature, but you haven't been able to - only eight and a half months. I wanted to ask you whether you see this as a personal failure to some degree and what you feel you could have done to extend this legislature further. Specifically, do you regret, for example, having presented the Budget which, in the end, is what has precipitated all this.

President of the Government.- Well, thank you, Carlos. I believe that what a government must do is the task at hand. What is the job of a government? To approve laws, govern, make progress and when you see you can't govern and make progress because of the party politics of other political formations that decide to block even the Budget, which is good for the Spanish people, or which is good, in this case, for Catalonia, then at that time you must take a decision.

What is one of the main tasks of a president of a government and of a government? To present his or her project for the country in figures for social policies, independence, healthcare, education, science, climate change, the energy transition and job dignity, And also to protect the weakest, child poverty, the long-term unemployed, etc. I believe that is clear.

We have, and had, to present our Budget, and we did so. We did so, but unfortunately it was not approved. But I can also say to you that there are some parliamentary defeats that turn into social victories. Our citizens have seen what the roadmap of this government is, what we want for this country, which is social justice. This means equality, liberties, progress, decent jobs, growth and the modernisation of our growth structures. This means tackling the major transformations that our country needs and demands. And Spain does not deserve to be left stranded by individual and party interests of a few who find that the only way to exercise the opposition is in inciting tension and downgrading progress. I won't get into that here.

We want to reform, to transform and humbly ask for the trust of the Spanish people because, in the end, they are the ones who are going to decide on the future that they want for their country. I stress, whatever they decide will be for the best.

Q.- Good day, President of the Government. Yolanda Mármol from "El Periódico". I wanted to ask you if you feel that the 'procés' trial may affect the campaign about to unfold. And I don't know whether you are personally disappointed with the final decision of the pro-independence parties or not.

President of the Government.- As regards your second question, Yolanda, I can say to you that, in the end, the pro-independence movement has always known where the government stands on this matter. However much noise they make, tension they stir up, however much the opposition hurls insults, we are taking this question into the realms of the absurd. In reality, the opposition proposes arguments which are, if you will allow me, absurd and childish because if we had proposed the arguments of the right wing over these last eight, what would that mean? That the vote on the Budget between the People's Party, Ciudadanos and he pro-independence forces that have managed to defeat this Budget would also have entered into secret pacts? I say this sarcastically.

What we have seen is a constitutional government. A government founded by one party - the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party - which is the only party in the whole political spectrum that survives from, and signed, the 1978 Constitution.

Hence, we have always said this - outside of the Constitution nothing; within the Constitution, everything. We, with me at the head, will never renounce dialogue. I will never do that. I will never renounce dialogue, because I believe that in dialogue we can find the path to resolve our disagreements and will be able to resolve the territorial crisis that also affects our country.

I am not in favour of looking the other way; I am in favour of grabbing the bull by the horns, of facing challenges head-on. That is what the Spanish people pay me to do; to resolve problems, not exacerbate them.

What were the proposals that are being made or that were made over the last seven years in Catalonia? To deny the reality? To deny the evidence? Those now are, well, even stricter because before even proposing dialogue and the Constitution, the opposition wants to impose Article 155 permanently. In other words, perpetuating the political and territorial crisis in our country.

We want to advocate dialogue under the Constitution, in accordance with the law, and we are going to continue doing that always, absolutely always. Because there are also ways to resolve this crisis, just as there are ways to resolve job insecurity. And that does not only have to be done by the government, the government is also doing this with the social stakeholders, as we have done, for example, through proposing an employment plan to fight job insecurity, which has meant that more than 50,000 jobs that were insecure are now permanent. Or for example, the protection of the self-employed; governing means forging alliances, reaching consensuses, and not engaging in confrontation, tension and insults.

Politics, as least as I understand it, means transforming through moderation, common sense and not through inciting tensions.

Hence, from this point of view, neither one thing nor the other. We have always stood where we do now, and well, the others will have to explain why they have chosen to block the Budget which I believe was a good roadmap, and socially positive for Catalonia.

As regards your first question, I would say that we have always had a clear and decisive roadmap planned out. I believe that a government should do what is right. What is expected of a government? For it to govern, to take decisions, to approve the Budget, and if this Budget does not receive the backing of Parliament, then we have to call on the Spanish people for them to be heard through the ballot box so that they give us a new parliamentary majority that allows these urgent social reforms to be undertaken that were postponed over the last seven years. Call me traditional, but you cannot govern without a Budget.

Q.- Good day, Mr Sánchez. May Mariño from Servimedia. After this parliamentary defeat that has finally brought down your government, would you sign up to the same pacts that brought you to Moncloa Palace? And, what do you think about the veto of Ciudadanos? Would you veto any other form of formation? Thank you.

President of the Government.- Well May, if you will allow me to disagree with your description, this is a Government that has approved 25 Royal Decree-Laws in eight months. That has unblocked the passage of 13 laws in the Lower House of Parliament. And by the way, none of these went against the interests of the social majority in this country, whoever these Spanish people may have voted for. And I believe that it is positive to reverse the cuts made in education. I believe that it is positive for all the Spanish people to recover the universal nature of public healthcare. I believe that it is positive for the Spanish people to recognise the right to vote of more than 100,000 people with disability who did not previously have this right. I believe that it is possible for the Spanish people to improve the level of protection of vulnerable groups, such as children who suffer from childhood poverty. And all of this has been broadly backed in Parliament, not only by the pro-independence forces, but also by other political formations. Hence, I believe that we have been coherent; I said that we came here to govern, and we have governed.

But it turns out that the opposition, for other reasons that are unrelated to the interests of the Spanish people, and the interests, in this case, of the Catalans, particularly in reference to the pro-independence formations, have decided to say "no": if we don't speak about the right to self-determination then those people unemployed over the age of 52 in Catalonia are not entitled to recover unemployment benefits; that women, mainly, who look after their family members in long-term care are not entitled to recover their National Insurance contributions because we must speak about self-determination. Well, it is now down to the citizens of Catalonia to say whether this is positive or not for Catalan society.

We have tried to govern for the benefit of everyone, for all Spanish men and women, wherever they may live. And all this with clearly progressive convictions, a left-wing government and a party that feels its place is within the parameters of social democracy and socialism, but looking at the bigger picture. Aside from that, we have clearly governed while others will have to explain why they have not allowed this country to enact a Euthanasia Act; or why we haven't reached an agreement that allows for the sustainability of the public pension system; or why we haven't reformed the system for the long-term unemployed in our country. They will have to explain that, and they will have time to do so. The time has come for that. We will also humbly do that.

As regards the vetoes, well, at the end of the day all these things. I am surprised that a "cordon santiaire" has been imposed on me and not on the far-right, but there you go. Everyone can choose their own friends.

Q.- Good day, President of the Government. Marisol Hernández from "El Mundo". I wanted to ask you if you don't fear a breakdown of the left-wing formations, as so clearly happened in the recent regional elections in Andalusia, if you are not concerned by this eventuality, and if you don't feel it will be an obstacle that the election campaign will take place at Easter. And then, along the same line as the question posed by my colleague, how do you think you can form a new absolute majority - will you do this again with the pro-independence forces or do you aspire to do this with Ciudadanos.

President of the Government.- Let's see. Why don't we let the Spanish people vote first? I believe that this is important. Let's go through the motions, make our proposals and then, according to the parliamentary majorities… What is important is not to take away the legitimacy of parliamentary majorities, which is what has happened.

In this country over the last eight months we have heard some ideas that are very dangerous. Describing a president of the government as "illegitimate". Describing a president of the government as gaining power through a "coup". Describing a president of the government as a person who has sold out and who humiliates himself… When I was the Leader of the Opposition, the only thing that the former President of the Government Rajoy can say on the issue of Catalonia is that I stood by his side. But I haven't found the opposition standing by my side. This form of secular territorial grievance has once again been perpetuated by the right wing when in opposition, arguing that the socialists sell our homeland while they guarantee it.

What is interesting is that the Unilateral Declaration of Independence and the two referendums took place while the People's Party was in government.

Hence, I feel that what is important is to go to the ballot box with humility, with moderation, with common sense, with firm convictions and, of course, calling for all our citizens, not just the left wing, to mobilise. There is a lot at stake in these elections. We are talking about the future of our country, which is no small matter. Just look how important this is, during the passage of this Budget many groups who have not seen their long-term care rights recovered or who have not seen their unemployment benefits for those over the age of 52 recovered, have been greatly disappointed by the fact that this Budget was not approved.

Hence, all elections are important, but this one particularly so. And we call on our people to turn out and vote; we want to see a huge turnout because this not only offers parliamentary legitimacy, but also a social legitimacy to the results of the ballot box.

But let me stress what I said at the start of my speech, whatever the Spanish people decide is the right thing. A decision well taken.

As regards a question that Yolando asked earlier that I have not been able to respond to regarding the 'procés, I feel that it is important to advocate democracy at a time in which we are going to the ballot box. And what does that mean? It means that justice stands on one side and does its job, while politics does its job. And right now, politics needs to come out of this stalemate in which the extremists have placed us, particularly the conservative opposition which, I repeat, has not looked to the general interests of the Spanish people, but to its own interests.

So, also on this matter, we have to go out and explain, give reasons, which is what we are going to do in this election campaign, which will begin in due time and form. And until then, the only thing I can convey is that the government will obviously carry on working right to the end of this legislature.

And it has been a real pleasure to see all of you from the media here and I hope that we will continue seeing each other for a long time you come.

Thank you.

(Transcript edited by the State Secretariat for Communication)

Non official translation