Senate Justice Commission gives the green light to the reform that repeals sedition without the amendments vetoed by the TC

The PP warns that criticizing the TC is "undemocratic", and this responds that they will not allow "interference in Democracy"

The Senate Justice Commission has approved this Tuesday the bill that repeals the crime of sedition and retouches that of embezzlement but abiding by the agreement of the Constitutional Court (TC) that this Monday suspended the amendments that sought to reform the election and arrival system of the two candidates for the TC appointed by the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ).

This body of the Senate, a necessary step for the Plenary of the Upper House to debate the initiative this Thursday, December 22, met after the celebration of an extraordinary Table that agreed, with the votes in favor of PSOE and PNV against the rejection of the PP , appearing in the appeal for amparo of the PP by which the Plenary of the TC decided to paralyze the reform.

On this occasion, the Commission, after overthrowing up to five vetoes against the processing of the bill, has finally approved the initiative with 16 votes in favor --PSOE, ERC, PNV and PAR--, 11 against -- PP-- and 2 abstentions.

During the first part of the Commission, which has had very tight times because the Senate Plenary was held barely two hours later, the vetoes presented, among others, by Junts and by the PP, have been debated.

This first turn has already served to establish positions on the decision of the court of guarantees, thus, the senator of the Popular Parliamentary Group Fernando de Rosa has indicated that since in Democracy "the forms are important and the substance too" the TC has pronounced in favor of the "protection of parliamentary rights" of his party.

In addition, he has taken the opportunity to emphasize that they reject any attack, disqualification and insult to the members of the TC, and has accused the PSOE of drafting a bill that is "arbitrary" and with which he seeks to "continue a few more months in the Government" .

Thus, he has maintained that attacking the Constitutional decisions is "undemocratic" and has asked the PSOE "not to turn the victim into an aggressor" because the guarantee court says that "there are parliamentarians whose rights were not protected". in the parliamentary process of the bill.

In this sense, it has also made it ugly that the crime of embezzlement is touched because "the fight against corruption is diminished." "You can never lower the sentence for those who use public money for a purpose other than that established by law," he indicated.

PSOE: CITIZENS ARE DEPRIVED OF A RIGHT

As for Junts, its senator Josep Luis Cervera Pinart has indicated that the "interference" of the TC confirms that Spain "is far from being a full democracy" and that Spanish politics "has given an open bar" to the judicial leadership after the ' procés'. "It is confirmed that Democracy has been kidnapped by the judicial leadership, which does not respect the inviolability of the cameras," he has come to affirm.

Thus, he presented his veto because with the reform of the crime of sedition, "the criminalization of a legitimate and peaceful process" is endorsed by the procés.

From the ranks of the Socialist Parliamentary Group, José María Oleaga, has in fact described the suspension "in record time" of the TC as very serious "because the right of senators to present amendments and debate is in question" and therefore deprives the citizens to be able to make laws through their legitimate representatives in the chambers.

"Democracy is experiencing a sad moment", he pointed out, to later add that this situation will end up being reversed because they will not allow "interference in Democracy". However, Oleaga has asserted that the socialist group will abide by the resolution of the Constitutional Court despite showing its disagreement "with what an attack on the parliamentary procedure supposes."

From ERC, its senator Laura Castel has defended that the TC has carried out a "full-fledged veto" to the chamber without being voted for by anyone and from the "democratic illegitimacy". After mentioning that the same thing happened previously in Catalonia, she has asserted that "the constitutional building is collapsing and it is the end of the democratic reputation of the Spanish state."

"RED CARPET TO THE FLEEES"

After overthrowing the vetoes, the Commission has debated the amendments presented by the different groups, more than 50. In her turn, the 'popular' senator Salomé Prada has asserted that the TC has stopped "an outrage" by the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, who wanted "the assault on democratic institutions".

Thus, he has indicated that with his appeal the PP "has faced the legislative bungling" of the Government and has indicated that the bill seeks to "weaken the institutions in exchange for rewarding criminals and making secessionism stronger." "It is a tailor-made suit for the secessionists, they are given a clear message to reoffend, and the red carpet is laid out for those on the run so that they return unscathed," he lamented.

But from the PSOE they have responded that the initiative seeks a Penal Code comparable to others in Europe, to then attack the position of the PP, letting it fall that they could give lessons on embezzlement. In addition, Oleaga has charged against the magistrates of the TC and has warned them that "you cannot be a judge and a party in Democracy."

From the PNV, Estefanía Beltrán, has indicated that these are "bad times" for Democracy because the TC has "stolen" the parliamentary debate from the Senate in what is "a clear interference and violation of the separation of powers."

At the same time, he has criticized the position of the PP, indicating that "it has no qualms" about failing to comply with the Constitution, blocking the renewal of both the TC and the General Council of the Judiciary "in order to ensure similar magistrates" who "bend to political interests on the part ".

It was this Monday when the plenary session of the court of constitutional guarantees met for more than nine hours to, after 10:00 p.m., agree with the 6 votes of the conservative majority against the 5 votes of the minority that makes up the block progressive to suspend the parliamentary process of the reform that affected them.

It is the first time, in its more than 40-year history, that the Constitutional Order urgently suspends a parliamentary debate in the Cortes Generales, so it is an unprecedented decision.