Spain’s PM ponders need for potential sixth lockdown extension until end of June

Despite the protests over the last few days, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced that he is still studying whether or not to request a sixth – and last – lockdown extension.

THE current lockdown extension will expire on June 7, and the sixth extension would potentially expire another 15 days later, during the latter part of June. “We are studying a sixth extension because it is our duty,” stated Sanchez in yesterday’s press conference. But he insisted it would depend on the country’s health and Covid-19 progress, and would make his decision after “listening to the experts and the regional heads”.

During the last few weeks, Sanchez has found it increasingly more difficult to secure the support needed to extend the State of Alarm, particularly during this month. Opposition parties such as the far right Vox and Popular Party (PP) have either voted against or abstained from voting for more lockdown extensions, since the beginning of this month. They believe the Government can resort to other regulations and measures, instead of the current draconian measures to restrict the public’s movement.

That said, in a surprising move, Catalunia’s President Quim Torra, said today that his party could potentially support another extension if his region is allowed to “regain all the powers that have been centralised under the State of Alarm” since mid-March.