The PP approves the Capitality Law with the left and angers Vox: "It is a lack of respect"

PalmaOne month before the general elections, the PP has joined forces with the left to pass a law in Parliament. It is the capital status act, with which the economic contribution to Palma will be doubled to 60 million euros per year. The legislative proposal was approved by the Palma City Council at the end of last year and has now received the support of the PP, the PSIB and MÉS per Mallorca in Parliament. This has infuriated Vox, which has accused the popular party of "lack of respect".

In fact, the far right was in agreement with the text, but finally distanced itself, unhappy that the PP had agreed to include amendments from the left and had also presented others that have nothing to do with the purpose of the law. For example, a change in the model that will allow nurses to also direct Health areas. "If the left thinks the law is positive, it means it is not good," argued the deputy spokesperson for Vox, Sergio Rodríguez. "It seems like an absolute lack of respect to us that we have to accept their red lines, but we cannot set any of our own," he insisted. In this sense, he lamented that the PP had not accepted an amendment from Vox that, broadly speaking, asked for the City Council to guarantee the use of both Spanish and Catalan orally and in writing. "When they encounter any demand from Vox, they go to the left to beg for help," he emphasized.

The deputy spokesperson for the PP, Marga Durán, defended her group's negotiation with the left and said she did not understand why Vox was voting against it. "Out of 52 amendments from the socialists, we have reached 14 transactions, because they are good for Palma, as it should be," she said. Durán highlighted that the modification of the law is "important" and noted the modifications that made it a "consensus" law. Among the incorporated amendments, she highlighted measures to support families, a regulation for neighborhood federations, and measures for more efficient housing management.

The PSIB spokesperson and the party's candidate for mayor of Palma, Iago Negueruela, said that the law is not "perfect, but we can recognize ourselves in it." Thus, he considered that it improves basic services and includes measures to improve them in certain neighborhoods, in addition to the creation of a municipal housing company. On the other hand, he lamented that the PP had not accepted an amendment from the socialists to declare Palma a stressed area and limit rental prices. MÉS per Mallorca voted in favor of the law for the sake of "coherence," but deputy Ferran Rosa considered that "it does not resolve the structural shortcomings that Palma has."

The deputy for Més per Menorca, Joana Gomila, demanded an increase in funding for the Menorca Biosphere Reserve Law from four to eight million euros, in line with the increase in the contribution to Palma. Meanwhile, the deputy for Unides Podem, José María García, said that, although the law "is not what we would like," it "has improved" with the contributions from the left.

The Capitality Law entered Parliament with only 7 articles and has reached the plenary session with 23. Among other issues, it incorporates the promotion of the Community Police figure and the creation of civic agents to ensure compliance with ordinances, as well as aid for families in situations of vulnerability to be able to access housing or reconcile professional and family life. In this sense, it adds the creation of a tenant defense office to the articles. Cort will have to provide a permanent municipal service for information, legal advice, and accompaniment to tenants, as well as to people at risk of losing their housing, evictions, squatting, and tourist rentals. In addition, it will create the Metropolitan Area of Palma, which will include Calvià, Marratxí, and Llucmajor.

Civil Law amendment approved via the fast-track procedure

The plenary session of the Parliament has approved via the fast track a modification of the Civil Law specific to the Islands to allow living inheritances between spouses. The Law on the matrimonial property regime was promoted by the Advisory Council of Civil Law of the Archipelago, and all parties have welcomed it with unanimity except for the opposing vote of two non-attached parliamentarians.