The PSOE is “convinced that the law will pass” and that “this afternoon everyone will portray themselves in their principles”
The PSOE anti-pimping law has divided the Government after Sumar’s rejection of what he considers an “electoralist and punitive” measure, which is why he will vote against it this Tuesday when it is taken into consideration in the Congress of Deputies. In this way, the PP, who does not reveal his vote, will be key to its processing.
Socialist sources have pointed out that they trust that the proposal will go ahead this Tuesday thanks to the abstention of the popular ones.
“All the forces that make up the Sumar space cannot support this bill, which is generally plagued by inequality, structural racism, often also by transphobia, poverty, and the bill of PSOE does not address solutions to any of these structural issues at all, which prevents us from giving it support,” said Comuns deputy Gala Pin, at a press conference in the Lower House.
In this sense, the deputy has indicated that the party considers that the will of the Socialist Party in presenting this bill in the pre-campaign of the European elections is “purely electoralist.” “If not, it is not understandable that he has not even discussed it with the Government or investiture partners and that it is a bill that, if it ends up being approved, will be approved by the PP. In other words, if this bill is approved law will be for an alliance of the PSOE with the PP”, he highlighted.
For her part, Engracia Rivera, a representative from Izquierda Unida, highlighted that they “are missing many things in this proposal.” “We lack employability, we lack access to housing, we lack academic training, we lack multiple social and economic measures to eradicate prostitution,” she stressed.
He has also pointed out that, in his opinion, the PSOE proposal “wants to delve into division and not union” and the socialists’ proposal is “absolutely incomplete” because “it does not provide real solutions to the problem it aims to fix.”
As the spokesperson for En Comú Podem of the Sumar Group, Aina Vidal, has also stated: “It is a mistake to bring a proposal that what it does is divide the feminist movement and what it does, therefore, is not seek a necessary union to defend our bodies, our freedom and also our ability to advance.
The Compromís deputy, Àgueda Mico, has suggested that this initiative must be debated in the Equality Commission and that consensus must be reached with the people who “are really suffering from the problem of prostitution on the streets and in brothels.” . “Those are the people we have to listen to and we have to legislate for them, not to look good to a showcase of voters,” she pointed out.
Sumar parliamentary sources have indicated that this is a “controversial issue in space.” “The PSOE was told that it was uneasy about bringing the bill now and if it is accepted for processing we have to talk. The PSOE has not contacted us. The starting point of its law makes joint work difficult, the PSOE has been irresponsible. This proposal in no way defends women,” they stressed.
“It seems to us that it is a hasty and electoral measure, that it is an incomplete measure and that it is a punitive measure, that it is not thinking about the protection or the rights of prostitutes and that it is not accompanied by social measures, material or economic,” said Sumar’s spokesperson in Congress, Íñigo Errejón.
Errejón has assured that “all the members” of the investiture are going to vote “unfavorably to this law”, so this “should call for reflection” by the PSOE who, “right now” to move forward with the law “depends on what the Popular Party votes”. “There are already two in this plenary session. That is not a good direction.”
WE CAN REFRAIN
For their part, the four Podemos deputies, who are in the Mixed Group of Congress, will abstain from the vote, according to Javier Sánchez at a press conference in Congress.
“The Socialist Party’s proposal on pimping seems to us to be exclusively a modification in the Penal Code that may serve to get some headlines, but it will not abolish prostitution,” said Sánchez.
Regarding this proposal to prohibit PSOE prostitution, Vox spokesperson in Congress, Pepa Millán, stated that “we had to ask ourselves if everyone within the Socialist Party agrees with this initiative.”
Millán has indicated that “beyond” this issue, his party considers that these practices are “absolutely despicable and absolutely condemnable”, and has denounced that if what the PSOE intends with this initiative “is to protect women”, it is of “great hypocrisy” because it is the PSOE itself that “puts women in danger.”
The PNV spokesperson, Aitor Esteban, also spoke at a press conference in Congress, stating that his party will not support the initiative because “it confuses trafficking, which is urgent (…) with prostitution and proposes the measures that it proposes, which can lead to an even harsher situation for women who are forced to engage in prostitution, or those others who do so voluntarily.
“What we believe is that a broader debate is needed, and I believe that everyone’s objective is the same,” indicated Esteban.
PP: “THE PSOE DOES NOT HAVE THE SUPPORT OF SÁNCHEZ’S PARTNERS”
The popular spokesperson in Congress, Miguel Tellado, has indicated that his party “continues to believe in parliamentarism” and for this reason he wants to “see what happens” in this Tuesday’s debate “before setting a position on the matter,” although Popular sources remember that in their day they supported the PSOE when they presented the abolition via amendment.
“What we do know today is that the Government is divided, it is broken and that this initiative presented by the Socialist Party unfortunately does not have the support of Sánchez’s partners. He will know why it reaches this height and so soon to this situation,” said the popular spokesperson.
PSOE: “THIS AFTERNOON THE ENTIRE WORLD WILL BE PORTRAYED IN ITS BEGINNINGS”
Meanwhile, the socialist spokesperson in Congress, Patxi López, has assured that they are convinced that the law “will move forward” because there is a “majority feeling that accompanies” what the law includes.
“This afternoon everyone will reflect on their principles and their assessments,” he indicated about the vote.
Patxi López has highlighted that this law aims to “move forward in the abolition of prostitution and therefore begin to punish pimping, punish all those who use women and sexually exploit them.” “This is a question of principle,” he added.
In parallel, when asked about this issue at the press conference after the Council of Ministers, the Government spokesperson, Pilar Alegría, recalled that it is up to the parliamentary groups to “take a position and take into consideration.”
“You all know the position of the proposing group and from there, logically, it will be the rest of the parliamentary groups who will have to express their vote and position,” Alegría added.