The plenary session on vital security held this Wednesday in the Basque Parliament has ended with the rejection of most of the initiatives proposed by the opposition groups. PNV and PSE-EE only gave their approval to five proposals from Sumar and two from the PP, while they voted against the 16 initiatives from EH Bildu, the main opposition group and promoter of this special session, as well as the proposals from Vox.
In this session, the 'jeltzales' and socialists have pushed through their 29 resolutions without difficulty, aimed at reinforcing and deepening the policies already developed by the Basque Government in areas such as housing, health, education, and security.
EH Bildu had registered 16 resolutions. Among them was one that urged the Basque Government to "commit to negotiating as a priority with the State Government the powers to legally establish a minimum interprofessional wage appropriate to the reality of Álava, Bizkaia, and Gipuzkoa".
Another of the coalition's initiatives called for an "immediate" update of the amounts of the Income Guarantee Benefit and, in general, of the benefits and subsidies of the protection system, as well as the maximum income limit, "in order to cope with the increase in prices and the rising cost of living, so that they can fulfill their purpose with sufficiency".
EH Bildu also proposed that the Basque Executive present a new proposal for a universal family benefits system within six months. That model, according to the coalition, should establish "a new system that helps with childcare" and study formulas "for better integration of tax deductions", in addition to "eliminating inequalities in access to tax benefits for lower-income households".
Likewise, it advocated for guaranteeing a universal benefit of 200 euros per child, articulated through universal refundable tax deductions and paid monthly for each minor, at least until they are 18 years old.
In the area of housing, EH Bildu called for "ceasing to promote any variable that encourages housing to be a speculative financial asset, and for the de-commodification of the real estate market", and proposed that the Government undertake the promotion of affordable public housing "on a scale hitherto unknown".
The PP, for its part, had presented 108 resolution proposals. In one of them, it asked the Basque Government for measures to raise Lanbide's labor intermediation rate, "strengthening its role as an instrument of connection between job seekers and the real needs of companies."
The popular party also demanded a specific program for the return of young Basque talent to facilitate the return to Euskadi of those who develop their professional careers outside the Autonomous Community and who "have been forced to emigrate looking for opportunities that were not offered to them here."
Likewise, the PP urged the Executive to strengthen youth employment insertion policies in the Basque labor market through orientation, training, internship, and hiring programs "that favor access to stable and quality jobs."
Support for the Ertzaintza and Sumar's proposals
The 'populares' have obtained the support of PNV and PSE for two of their resolutions, which have prospered. Through them, "public support and recognition" is expressed for the Ertzaintza "as Euskadi's own autonomous police force," and for its members "for their professionalism and vocation of service"; and "the harassment campaign and permanent threats to the Ertzaintza and its members" are condemned.
Sumar had registered 58 proposals. One of them urged the Basque Government and the provincial councils to promote "a fiscal reform harmonized with ambitious and clear criteria of redistributive justice," with the aim of equating the taxation of capital income to that of labor income, "eliminating unjustified fiscal privileges and ensuring that those who have more, contribute proportionally to the collective effort." This initiative was rejected.
The five proposals from Sumar that did receive the support of the groups that sustain the Government address general issues related to international multilateralism, international law, human rights, and social justice.
Vox, for its part, had presented 17 resolution proposals, including its plan to implement the so-called "national priority" in access to public services.
Regarding the parties that support the Executive, PNV and PSE-EE have managed to approve their 29 resolution proposals, with which they reaffirm the measures already applied by the Basque Government in health, education, housing, and security. Four of these resolutions have received the favorable vote of EH Bildu, which has opposed eight others and abstained in the rest.
The initiatives of PNV and PSE that EH Bildu supported
The resolutions of PSE and PNV supported by EH Bildu focus, among other aspects, on supporting regulatory changes so that public protection housing subject to a temporary protection regime and located in a residential market area maintain their classification as protected housing while the declaration of a tense residential market area is in force.
Another of the amendments supported by the coalition advocates for "continuing to strengthen the strategic role of the Basque Institute of Finance as a public financing tool at the service of Euskadi's productive fabric."
EH Bildu has also voted in favor of the PNV and PSE proposal that proposes "consolidating the Basque model of reception and integration by strengthening policies of inclusion, language learning, access to rights and obligations, intercultural coexistence, and community participation, favoring equal opportunities and social cohesion as bases for a more inclusive and resilient society."
Likewise, the coalition has supported an initiative by 'jeltzales' and socialists that urges the Basque Government to "intensify the strategy for the international positioning of Euskadi as a reference and excellence region in the treatment of oncology assistance, aligned with the most innovative and cutting-edge initiatives in Europe."