Spain’s opposition parties threaten to file lawsuits against PM & government for ‘criminal offences’ during Covid-19 crisis & withhold support for another lockdown extension

Leading politicians from Spain’s opposition parties of Partido Popular (PP) and Vox have threatened to file lawsuits against the government for criminal offences during the Covid-19 crisis, as well as withhold their support for another lockdown extension.

IN today’s Congress meeting, opposition party leaders warned Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and his government that they would be filing lawsuits for “criminal offences” related to their management of the coronavirus crisis, which has so far claimed around 24,275 lives in Spain, according to the Health Ministry.

Today’s debate in Congress also increased doubts around whether the opposition parties will this time support the government’s request for a fourth extension to the State of Alarm – for another 15 days after May 10 (as reported). Sánchez’s coalition government, which is made up of the Socialist Party (PSOE) and left-wing party Unidas Podemos currently relies on the support of the opposition parties in order to pass legislation. However, the opposition parties, particularly Vox and PP, are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the government’s lack of communication, particularly around the country’s de-escalation plans.

During the session in Congress today, the opposition parties also criticised the government’s “transition to a new normal” plan presented yesterday as “lacking in detail.” Both the PP and Ciudadanos also complained that the government had not consulted these plans with them before announcing them.

The leader of the main opposition PP, Pablo Casado, also accused Sánchez of lying during the coronavirus crisis. He warned that his group may withhold his party’s support at the upcoming vote for an additional extension to the State of Alarm, along with other opposition parties such as centre-right Ciudadanos party, The Basque Nationalist Party (PNV) and right-wing Vox. “Don’t count on us if things carry on like this,” Casado warned Sánchez in Congress today.