Pedro Sánchez’s move to scrap Spain’s VAT on food staples has fueled a political row with the opposition accusing the government of failing to do the same.
By Antonis Anzoletou
We are now counting the hours for 2022, but before the time is up, the first debate between the government and the opposition is already being prepared in the political field for 2023. It is a fact that the majority in the matter of the emigrant vote did not do so well. Just 3,000 registrations in the electoral rolls is not a good number and now the Ministry of the Interior is called upon to find a solution. Makis Voridis left open the possibility of changes. To possibly provide for a connection of the number of deputies to be elected by Greeks abroad with the number of those who vote, according to what applies in unicameral parliaments.
Everything shows that it will not be an easy process, as the arithmetic is already making it difficult for the government. SYRIZA and PASOK, which have a total of 110 MPs, have disagreed. It is recalled that in order for an amendment to be made, an increased majority of 200 votes is required.
SYRIZA claims that from the beginning, during the constitutional review and with legislative proposals, it requested the establishment of a generalized and unconditional right to vote and be elected by Greeks abroad in four global regions, with a single ballot. This is, after all, the prevailing European model. It is followed by France, Italy and Portugal.
They argue from Koumoundourou that the government has failed and they pledge that after the elections as a government they will bring back the proposal they have submitted so that all expatriates can vote and elect their representatives directly. One in America, Europe and Australia and one in the rest of the world with a single ballot without party divisions.
PASOK claims that this is not only a tacit admission of failure, “but another anti-institutional choice of the New Democracy, to which we are not going to consent”.
The discussion is expected to open at the beginning of the new year. Unless Maximos sees the impasse that exists due to the refusal of the opposition parties and does not take the issue any further. The Ministry of the Interior claims that the terms and conditions that were incorporated into the legislation for the vote of emigrants “in order for the Left to agree, made the law non-functional”.
It is recalled that the law was voted three years ago with the vast majority of 288 MPs out of 296 present. New Democracy, SYRIZA, KIN.AL, KKE and Hellenic Solution had voted positively on the principle of the bill. MeRA25 had objected, however, not denying the right to vote, but the restrictions placed on its exercise.
Possibly there will be a round of contact with the parties in order to find some golden ratio. There will be a new campaign to inform the emigrants, with several of the ruling faction estimating that with the announcement of the date of the elections, many will rush to register now knowing where they will vote. Sources from the majority argue that, regardless of the small number of those already registered, there is no problem of constitutionality given that the state parliamentarians represent the whole country and not only the Greeks abroad.
The VAT
The debate that will remain constant in 2023 and will dominate the political scene will concern the field of the economy. Pedro Sanchez’s move to scrap Spain’s VAT on basic food items has fueled a political row with the opposition accusing the government of failing to do so. SYRIZA and PASOK have once again formed a front by aligning themselves with the social democratic prime minister of Spain.
“In Spain they have greater fiscal margins. In simple words, the 3.5 billion euros that would be missing from Greece if we applied these kinds of measures would put us in much bigger adventures, like the ones we don’t want to return to and experienced in the past. Without anyone being able to indicate where this gap would be filled. Would we put new taxes? Would we increase ENFIA again?’ answered Yiannis Oikonomou.
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I have worked in the news industry for over 10 years. I have been an author at News Bulletin 247 for the past 2 years. I mostly cover politics news. I am a highly experienced and respected journalist. I have won numerous awards for my work.
