An authorized voice from the Palau de la Moncloa recognized at the time that the negative impact of the only yes is yes law on the electorate would be greater than the wear and tear produced by the pardons of the Catalan independence leaders. I think that time has proved him right, and the latest decision of the Court that was made public yesterday, represents another discredit to the actions of the Ministry of Equality. The plenary session of the Criminal Chamber of the High Court validated the criteria of the provincial hearings to reduce the sentences of sexual aggressors when applying the new law.
The performance of the department led by Irene Montero has been more than questionable, but it would be a mistake to think that the Ministry of Equality should disappear because of this. It would be like thinking that due to the mismanagement of a minister in charge of Development or Industry, to mention two traditional portfolios, they should be removed from a future Council of Ministers because their holders have acted badly. Alberto Núñez Feijóo has already announced that, if he is elected president, he is considering reducing six or seven ministries and expressly mentioned the elimination of Equality and Consumption.
The president of the Popular Party would do well to reverse this decision because there is still a long way to go in Spain so that there is truly gender equality. Can we work just as well to correct it from a general direction as from a ministry? Surely so, but the message conveyed by the abolition of the ministry is that these issues become of superfluous interest in government activity.
The right should also reflect on the fact that the left cannot be given the flag of feminism and that the argument that progressives are the only defenders of women’s rights be established. Feijóo has the opportunity, if he wins, to pursue a policy different from that exhibited by Irene Montero, but it would be good if he did so by giving him the prominence and importance that this matter has.
