Pedro Sánchez: "The Government has raised the minimum wage by 61% in seven years"

Lower House of Parliament, Madrid

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In the Lower House of Parliament, the head of the Executive highlighted that the Government has consecutively raised the Minimum Wage (SMI) since 2018, in response to a question from Alberto Núñez Feijóo, a member of the People's Parliamentary Group, in the first control session of the year.

"The Government has raised the minimum wage by 61% in the last seven years," Pedro Sánchez stressed. The president stated that the increase from 735 to 1,184 euros per month for the lowest paid workers has led to a reduction in inequality and the wage gap between male and female workers. In this respect, the president recalled that 60% of the recipients of the minimum wage are women.

Pedro Sánchez added that the Government has dismantled the dogmas regarding the incompatibility between the increase in the minimum wage and job creation.

In this respect, the president assured Núñez Feijóo that "the government is working and Spain is moving forwards." In 2024, "50% of the growth of the eurozone is explained by the growth of the Spanish economy, 30% of the new jobs created in the eurozone were created in Spain, and this in a country that represents 10% of the Gross Domestic Product and 13% or 14% of the population," Pedro Sánchez explained during the control session. "That is the scale of the economic success that the country is experiencing right now," he insisted.

Economic growth, enterprise and job creation

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On economic matters, the head of the Executive also recalled, in response to a question from Gabriel Rufián, a member of the Republican Parliamentary Group, that, from a business point of view, the creation of companies increased by 9% in 2024, a figure that represents "the highest rate in the last 17 years." The president also stressed that Spain has the lowest unemployment rate in the last 16 years.

The head of the Executive stressed that these economic figures are the result of the application of progressive policies, which are, in his opinion, "the best way to halt this advance of the far right that we are seeing, not only in Europe, but also in the United States."

Europeanism and respect for international law

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In response to a question from Santiago Abascal, a member of the VOX parliamentary group, on international relations, Pedro Sánchez clarified that Spain defines itself as a "pro-European" country that "has influenced important debates in Europe, such as the migration and asylum pact, the first regulation on artificial intelligence, or the NextGenerationEU funds that allowed Spain to grow 3% in 2024."

The president also pointed out that Spain "is a country that respects international law", and went on to say that the situation in Gaza "can be resolved by defending and claiming that Palestine is for the Palestinians, Israel is for the Israelis, and we have to recognise the two states as a solution to guarantee peace and stability in the region."

With regard to the situation in Venezuela, Pedro Sánchez reported that, during his Government, temporary protection orders granted to Venezuelans have reached 125,000, compared to the 26 orders granted by the previous Executive.

Non official translation