There is no optimism in the Government regarding the war in Iran —the Foreign Affairs Minister himself, José Manuel Albares, confessed it to me this week—, but the message that La Moncloa will continue to convey “is one of calm”, because they insist that “the country is better prepared.”
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, is scheduled to appear next March 25 in Congress —as he himself requested—, but circumstances are going to force him to bring forward the political evaluation of the conflict by one week.
This coming Wednesday the Lower House will host the first government control session since the start of the war, last February 28, when the joint military intervention of the U.S. and Israel with bombings on Iran occurred. That —as well as the economic consequences that citizens already perceive when going to the pump, for example— will be the issue that will mark the session.
Just a few weeks ago the conflict was not in the political script. But in La Moncloa they know that they will have to face this issue on multiple fronts —something that, on the other hand, they are already doing—: from making concrete decisions to curb the expansive wave that is already affecting citizens' pockets, to the political front being built by the opposition of the Popular Party, passing through the demands of parliamentary partners.
The focus will be placed especially on the figure of President Sánchez, as well as on the Vice President and Minister of Finance, María Jesús Montero. Meanwhile, ministerial agendas will prevent the presence of some ministers in the session, such as the head of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, or the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles.
Common front in Congress: everyone will ask about the consequences of the war
From the Popular Party to stable parliamentary partners like the PNV or EH Bildu: the Executive will have to answer several specific questions related to the war.
While the PP has registered an urgent interpellation for Vice President María Jesús Montero to explain the consequences that the conflict may have for “families and businesses,” other parties like Podemos will ask for explanations about concrete measures to make effective the slogan of “no to war,” as well as about “who will pay this time the consequences of the illegal war in Iran and the Middle East,” according to the questions registered by the Basque parties.
The Popular Party has also already registered a non-legislative proposal in Congress and a motion in the Senate in which it incorporates the measures proposed by the opposition to face the economic effects of the conflict. With them they intend, they assure, “to take the initiative” given what they consider a lack of response from the Sánchez Government.
Awaiting the first package of measures
The government partners —who do not entirely agree on the timing— have given themselves a margin to approve the bulk of the measures which, according to the Minister of Economy, Carlos Cuerpo, the Executive is finalizing.
Sumar would have preferred to step forward and already activate some of the possible recipes, but the PSOE advocates for caution.
The day before the government control session, on Tuesday, the weekly meeting of the Executive will be held. Although it is not ruled out that they may announce some measure aimed at mitigating the effects on the most affected sectors —transport or livestock, for example—, the core of the package will predictably be postponed until beyond the next Council of Ministers.
Without forgetting something fundamental: whenever they are approved, those measures must pass through Congress to be validated by a parliamentary majority which, at this moment, the Government does not have guaranteed.
In the Executive, several reasons are put forward. On the one hand, they consider that, despite the rapid increase in fuel prices, the situation is not comparable to the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in 2022. They are confident that energy prices may offer a respite and will also wait for the European Council to gather European leaders on the upcoming 19th and 20th, who will address this issue jointly.
Final note.
Prudence in politics can be a virtue. But when the effects of a war begin to be felt in the daily economy, prudence cannot become an alibi for inaction. If the Government considers that it must act, let it act. Let it legislate. And let it protect those who always pay the consequences first: the citizens.