Irene Montero seeks a way to save the law of only yes is yes in the face of the threat of the PSOE, verbalized last Monday, to present without United We Can a bill in Congress to unilaterally change the norm. The Ministry of Equality has made a new offer to the Ministry of Justice in the last hours to introduce changes in the law, however, this has been rejected by the Department of Pilar Llop, which remains immovable in the approach presented last month December and that for the purple ones it is “unacceptable”.
It is the fourth time that Equality makes a specific proposal in which it assumes a modification of the Criminal Code, but it is also the fourth time that Justice answers with a resounding no. Thus, negotiations continue to take place between the parties, but the truth is that it is not resulting in a rapprochement. The positions are far apart, as the Minister for Equality acknowledged yesterday, who admitted “a discrepancy about consent” and how it would come to a standstill with the socialist proposal to touch the law.
Montero emphasized that “he cannot assume a proposal that returns to the previous model” of “violence and intimidation” and equated Llop’s text with that proposed by the PP. However, Justice sources reject this interpretation and defend that its formula “continues to maintain consent at the center of the model, making the adjustments that justify an adaptation of the penalties to the seriousness of the conduct”, preserves sexual assault as “a sole crime” and “does not alter” in any way the “spirit” of the law.
In Equality they avoid detailing both the content of the last offer and when it was presented. But the statements of the minister and her number two reveal that it would have been between Monday and Tuesday, after the PSOE order. Ángela Rodríguez Pam revealed on Monday that “three” proposals had been made and, 24 hours later, Montero updated that there were already “four” rejected. One of them assumed even raising the minimum sentences. The first time the Ministry opened up to a change that disrupted part of her story that the law was misapplied by judges.
Members of the Government, the PSOE and Unidas Podemos express the “will” to reach an agreement and preserve unity. The Socialists do not see the coalition at risk but Podemos did accuse the partner of putting it at risk. Government sources assure that they want to “solve” the problem but they are finding that the changes have such technical “complexity” that it is proving difficult to reach a consensus for now.
They have been stuck for two months and the PSOE does not want to wait any longer. There is no set deadline, but government sources point to “this week” as the deadline. In the absence of an agreement, the PSOE has already announced that it would be willing to go alone to register its initiative in Congress.
“Today the best way to defend the law of only yes is yes is to carry out technical adjustments,” stressed Minister Isabel Rodríguez to prevent “undesired effects.” The government spokesperson stressed that the “problem” is in the “sentences.” And that is where to act, and that it will require making “a series of justifications.” Words that connect with the recovery of intimidation and violence by Justice to differentiate the seriousness of the crimes.
The socialist wing of the Government tries to calm United We Can with repeated messages that consent is not in danger and that it will not touch “not a comma” of it.
In this clash, Yolanda Díaz tries to mediate but avoids taking a public position on one proposal or another. She advocates for a pact that “preserves consent”, for “taking care of the coalition” and defends Montero.
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