Congress leaves the PSOE alone and supports Western Sahara’s self-determination

The majority of the Congress of Deputies this Thursday approved the initiative that will increase support for the . confirms Western Sahara so that it can choose its future in a self-determination referendum under UN resolutions and has left the PSOE alone, the only party to vote against.

The day the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sancheztraveling to Rabat to meet King Mohamed VI, the Congress plenary has initiated the initiative of United We Can, ERC and EH Bildu by 168 votes in favour, 118 against and 61 abstentions, that of Vox and citizens

The negative vote of the socialists has caused great discomfort within the coalition government and among some PSOE deputies such as Odon Elorza who, while finally accepting the parliamentary group’s voting discipline, has complained before the vote about the “change” of the PSOE for a text that is “acceptable”.

However, she was the PSOE delegate for Sevilla Beatriz Micaela Carrillo the one who voted in favor of United We Can’s initiative, as it erroneously pointed out.

In the vote, the PP joined the views of United We Can and all of Sánchez’s investment partners, and Vox and C’s were the ones who starred in the abstentions.

The non-legal proposal came about without the amendments proposed by the orange formation and the PNV.

The PSOE had this week expressed its support for this text if it were not amended, but ultimately decided to vote against it, as the United We Can representative Gerardo Pisarello He “attacked” the Sánchez Executive by comparing the situation in the Sahara with that in Ukraine, during his speech in defense of the non-legal proposal.

The PNV amendment urged Congress to also disagree with the “government change of position with regard to the dispute”, as it is a “radical and unilateral turn” towards “betting without ambiguity on the” Moroccan autonomy plan of the year 2007″.

Elorza: “I didn’t really want to open or make a crack today”

Odón Elorza has explained that he ultimately voted no to prevent “cracks” from developing. “I didn’t exactly want to open or create a crack today in support of the president of the government, who is in Morocco,” he told media after the session.

He asked to speak in the conference room after the votes to explain exactly why he ultimately voted against the non-bill, but Congress President Meritxell Batet has not allowed him to, as she has indicated that these explanations come correspond to the “parliamentary groups”.

Speaking to the media, Elorza noted that the other reason that led him to vote “against” his “principles, beliefs and commitments to the cause of the Sahara” was that, in his view, Congress’ regulations “do not freedom to vote conscientiously”.

After a meeting with the management of the Socialist Group in which I set out my position on the vote, I responsibly cast the telematic vote in which I did NOT support Mr Arnaldo, in defense of the prestige and dignity of the institutions of the TC and Congress.

— Odon Elorza (@odonelorza2011) November 11, 2021

“Congress rules should protect the freedom of vote in the conscience of the delegates, it doesn’t protect it,” he said.

In addition, he complained that the Socialist Group decided to vote no when it was originally intended to support the non-legal proposal with yes if the text put to the vote was not amended by amendments, as was eventually done.

Knowing this new PSOE decision through the media rather than in the chamber itself, he says, is not typical of ‘a parliamentary democracy’.

The Rules of Congress DO NOT protect a delegate’s freedom to vote conscientiously in certain cases without receiving sanction or filing. Nor did I want to open a crack in support for President Sanchez, just today. I apologize to the Saharans.

— Odon Elorza (@odonelorza2011) Apr 7, 2022