An informative poster in a clothing store in Valencia about the measures of the energy saving plan. EFE
The Congress will celebrate next August 25 from 9:00, at the request of the Government, an extraordinary session of the plenary session of the Chamber in order to validate the energy saving right, transport aid and study scholarships;
the one that establishes a new contribution system for self-employed workers;
and the one on urgent measures to deal with forest fires.
In addition, the Senate amendments related to the bill for the comprehensive guarantee of sexual freedom will be addressed;
to the science, technology and innovation law and to the reform of the consolidated text of the bankruptcy law for the transposition of a 2019 European directive on debt relief and disqualifications.
On August 1, the Council of Ministers approved the plan of energy saving measures that requires, among other things, to limit the use of air conditioning in summer and heating in winter in public establishments and to turn off shop windows after 10:00 p.m. .
The threat of refusal —which she later corrected— of the Madrid president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, caused a political storm that led the PP to demand the withdrawal of the decree.
The measures obey the European commitment to save energy in the event of a possible blackmail by Vladimir Putin with the supply.
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, a member of the European PP, warned that the Russian president intends to use "gas as a weapon" and that the EU must respond to the threat jointly, as it did during the pandemic.
Spain,
Because it is less dependent on Russian gas than other countries, such as Germany, it managed to reduce the savings commitment from 15% to 7%.
The leader of the popular party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, described the decree as "an act of authoritarianism" in an interview with EL PAÍS and believes that the saving measures should be recommendations, not obligations.
The Government faces a tough negotiation to validate the decree in Congress —by a simple majority— because communities not presided over by the PP, such as Euskadi or Catalonia, also complained about the forms, without consulting the regional executives.
The measures have been in effect for eight days.
In the meeting that the Minister of Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera, and Industry and Commerce, Reyes Maroto, held with the regional councilors of the branch on August 8, the communities chaired by the PP demanded to withdraw the decree and negotiate a new one;
Catalonia and the Basque Country, more time to apply it.
The Executive refused.
Despite the initial noise, Díaz Ayuso has been left alone on the judicial front against the decree and her appeal before the Constitutional Court.