The uncertainty about the future of Pedro Sánchez as President of the Central Government opens up the unknown about what will happen with the Amnesty law, which is still in full parliamentary processing. Depending on what the socialist leader announces tomorrow, the approval of the rule to delete all criminal, administrative and civil processes may be affected.
The scenarios that open up, which will become clear on Monday, are that Sánchez continues at the head of the Spanish Executive without more or less, raises a question of confidence, resigns to make way for a new investiture by another socialist or that he announces a new election, although it would be postponed, because the Cortes could not be dissolved until May 29.
In the event that he announced his departure from the Central Executive, article 101 of the Constitution establishes that with him the entire Government would cease, although it would remain in office until a new one arrived. At that time, a new investiture would have to be proposed, with a maximum term of two months, and if it did not go ahead, it would be the president of the Congress of Deputies who would announce the dissolution of the Courts for new elections.
In all this process, the question is what happens to the legislative work. Parliamentary sources explain that both the Congress of Deputies and the Senate would continue in full powers, and therefore, their parliamentary processing would continue without any obstacle. In addition, in the case of the Amnesty law, it must be remembered that it is a proposal of law proposed by political groups and not a bill that comes from the Spanish Government.
If Sánchez decided to dissolve the Courts with a view to May 29, the terms would acquire more relevance. The rule is now in the Senate and these days a commission with experts proposed by the parties is debating the legality and constitutionality of the rule. Sources from the Upper House explain that the commission has already been convened for May 6 to study the vetoes raised by the PP of the presentation of the law. And then I should go to the plenary session.
The deadline for the Senate to return the text to Congress is May 16. At this point, deadlines are again essential. The Congress is planning a plenary session for the week of May 21. However, sources in the Lower House explain that the agenda of the Bureau to set the points that go to that plenary session is held on the 14th. Therefore, the amnesty could not be set because the Senate will not predictably she will have returned The only option to introduce it in that week’s plenary session is for it to be accepted unanimously, something highly unlikely. In addition, the law would be approved in Thursday’s session, so it would be for May 30, one day after the president could dissolve the Courts.
Another option so that the amnesty could be approved before the 29th would be to call a specific plenum, and then it could be held on Thursday, May 23rd.
What this set of dates and possibilities makes clear is that the final approval of the Amnesty law, with its publication in the Official State Gazette (BOE) and its entry into force, depends essentially on the will politics of Sánchez, the PSOE and its parliamentary partners.
