Otro grave escándalo de corrupción
- A new investigation was opened which brings more pressure on the government and directly demands answers from María Jesús Montero.
- Vicente Fernández, former president of the SEPI and a person of trust from the Minister of Finance, was arrested due to alleged irregular public contracts.
- Leire Díez, a person connected to the PSOE, was also detained within the same operation.
- The investigations focus on five serious crimes: fraud, forgery, misappropriation, influence peddling, and prevarication.
- Díez's arrest points towards a possible state operation to dismantle cases that affect the president's environment.
- Montero kept the position of president of the society vacant for 18 months, awaiting Fernández's acquittal in the Aznalcóllar case.
Conclusion: The recent scandals raise concerns about the integrity and transparency of the Government, demanding accountability and explanations from high-level figures.
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Budget de la « Sécu » : à l’Assemblée, le douloureux apprentissage du compromis
- The draft law on social security funding was approved by a fragmented Assembly, an unprecedented situation.
- Prime Minister, Sébastien Lecornu, reached an agreement with the socialists in a negotiation considered 'loyal' by both parties.
- The vote is also a victory for the first secretary of the socialist party (PS), Olivier Faure.
- The text of the law does not satisfy everyone, each group that contributed to its adoption has highlighted concessions won.
- Failure of the draft law would have sent a negative signal about the capacity of Parliament to form majorities and, in the long term, about its usefulness.
- The text still has to pass the Senate and be voted again in the Assembly.
Conclusion: This is the first step of a multipartite negotiation in which everyone made concessions, and although the result is not satisfactory for everyone, it represents a victory for representative democracy, avoiding political crisis and uncertainty.
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Video: Opinion | Are We Losing Our Democracy?
- Trump is bypassing the legislature by imposing tariffs and defunding institutions without Congressional approval.
- He is defying federal courts by ignoring orders and utilizing the National Guard.
- Declares national emergencies under false pretexts to justify his actions.
- Uses military power for domestic control.
- Wielding his office power for personal profit, significantly boosting his organization's income.
- Controls information, firing officials who report unfavorable data.
- Persecutes his political enemies and threatens Democrats with the death penalty.
- Attempts to control universities and stifles dissent and speech.
- Vilifies marginalized groups.
- Creates a cult of personality, proclaiming himself the only one capable of restoring the country.
- Manipulates the law by urging Republicans to gerrymander their states for future elections.
Conclusion: The United States has not reached full autocracy, but these signs show how far it has moved in that direction and how much more Trump could do during his tenure.
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Lo que va de Merkel a Meloni, por Editorial
- The European Union is hardening its immigration policy, diminishing the quotas for the relocation of migrants and community aid, and endorsing the creation of deportation centers in third countries.
- The EU's Interior Ministers are tilting more toward the restrictive policies of the far-right Giorgia Meloni than the inclusive spirit shown by Chancellor Angela Merkel.
- Countries receiving the majority of immigrants, such as Spain, Italy, Greece, and Cyprus, voted against these restrictions, deeming them unsupportive and somewhat inconsistent.
- The reduction of the figures could drop to 21,000 migrants and 420 million euros, numbers that are low compared to the real arrival rates of immigrants.
- These EU anti-immigration policies can have long-term consequences for its founding ideology and the principles of solidarity among member states.
Conclusion: The hardening of the EU's immigration policy may distance the Union from its foundational ideology and nature, posing a serious humanitarian dilemma and challenging principles of solidarity and respect for human rights.
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La hora de Europa
- Trump's strategy to end the war in Ukraine indicates that Europe cannot rely on its transatlantic relationship with the United States for security.
- Trump has dismissed European allies and worse, Ukraine itself.
- The EU should not depend on the US for its defense or automatically submit to its political changes.
- The EU urgently needs its own plan, and decisions cannot be sabotaged by illiberal governments.
- It is essential to recognise and address the great humanitarian damage caused by Russian aggression in Ukraine.
- Europe must fully support Ukraine and recognise its sovereignty.
- Europe cannot tolerate the territorial mutilation of a sovereign country.
- Russia has no intention of stopping the war, and a unified and coordinated response is needed in Europe.
Conclusion: Europe needs to build its independence from US policies, strengthen its unity, and take robust coordinated actions to support Ukraine against Russian aggression.
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Nomination du gouvernement Bayrou : le Premier ministre veut peser face à l’Elysée
- There will be a new government by Christmas, headed by François Bayrou, including heavyweight figures like Elisabeth Borne and Gérald Darmanin.
- Manuel Valls has been tasked with handling the thorny issue of Overseas territories.
- The appointment of a newcomer to Bercy could run counter to Bayrou's attempt at exerting influence.
- Without signaling to the left, Bayrou's government may be at risk of being censured.
- The absence of Xavier Bertrand in the government may indicate some risk regarding its relationship with the RN.
Conclusion: Bayrou's new government seems to be trying to balance politics with the inclusion of heavyweights, but this could result in internal conflicts and potential censorship issues.
View previous editorials for Liberation
The Guardian view on Macron, Scholz and Europe’s future: a question of ambition | Editorial
- The French president has called for an EU reset to combat the threat of the far-right.
- Signs of a significant rightward shift in Europe are unmistakable, with parties such as the Rassemblement National in France and AfD in Germany polling well ahead of rivals.
- Despite internal rifts, these radical right-wing parties have substantial financial backing.
- Emmanuel Macron argues that a massive investment in challenges such as the green transition and defence boost can help combat this rise of illiberal extremism.
- It has been suggested that these investments can be financed by joint borrowing tools like those successfully rolled out during the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Macron's approach clashes with traditional German views on the desirability of shared European debt.
- Macron is pursuing a long-term vision similar to that of Alexander Hamilton post-American Revolution, aiming to bind together the various components of the European Union.
Conclusion: Though hurdles in countries like France and Germany make the prospects of a shift ahead of the upcoming elections look slim, Macron has highlighted the need for a fiscal reset in the interest of growth, unity, and solidarity.
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Adoctrinamiento y sectarismo: el despilfarro con Broncano
- The contract of RTVE with El Terrat to sign David Broncano is more than 28 million euros for two seasons.
- The contract conditions are very advantageous for the producer and RTVE commits to maintain the program regardless of its audience.
- The contract generated controversy and precipitated a crisis in the public corporation.
- Broncano's signing seeks to modernize TVE and improve its audience data.
- The drawback is that the focus is shifting more towards entertainment and the nightly news time has been cut.
- The decision to compete in the prime time slot with El Hormiguero points to Moncloa's intention to mitigate the social influence of Pablo Motos.
- It is doubtful that the program can attract an older age bracket on television.
- The 28 million expense is questionable, especially compared to the costs of other concerning projects.
- Broncano's signing is associated with the government's tactics to politicize public television.
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Editorial | Sequía e inversiones pendientes
- Catalonia is facing a severe shortage of rainfall, which has depleted the internal basins' reservoirs.
- Soon, the Catalonian government might declare a drought emergency in the area of Barcelona and the Ter-Llobregat supply system.
- The scarcity of water can lead to severe restrictions affecting most of the Catalan population.
- The lack of investment and progressiveness in implementing the necessary reforms have exacerbated the problem.
- Responsibilities of the problem are not exclusive to the current government and local councils but also previous ones.
Conclusion: The severity of the current situation could be the definitive push to take all necessary measures to better cope with future droughts.
View previous editorials for El Periodico