Pedro Sánchez: "There are two ways of dealing with a crisis: from the right or from the left; a slow recovery with cuts, or a fast recovery with social justice"

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, during his speech at the 44th UGT Confederal Congress (Pool Moncloa / Borja Puig de la Bellacasa)

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, has travelled to Barcelona to take part in the 44th UGT Confederal Congress, in which he defended the progressive roadmap as the best formula for dealing with a crisis, as opposed to the cuts proposed by the right as the only option for recovery.

"There are many crises, but there are only two ways to face them: by the right or by the left; a slow recovery with cuts, or fast and with social justice," said the head of the Executive during his speech at the meeting of the trade union workers' organisation.

Sánchez has defended the joint work of the political left and the trade union left in order to leave behind the neoliberal theses that hindered the economic recovery from the financial crisis. He also recalled the rise in the minimum wage, the increase in pensions, the commitment to reindustrialise the economy and the reduction of atmospheric emissions as the cornerstones of an economy that is working and growing strongly in comparison with other European countries.

"We beat the hoaxes and lies in 2023 and we will do it again"

During his speech, the president of the Government of Spain focused on the progressive policies and social justice practised by the coalition government, as opposed to the lies and hoaxes put forward by the right as the only political project.

"The right wing has given up the legitimate debate of ideas in democracy and its only political project is lies and lies, which we won on 23 July 2023 and which we will win again in 2027 with a progressive project of progress and social conquests," said the head of the Executive during his speech at the meeting of the trade union workers' organisation.

Pedro Sánchez remarked that the direct and indirect attacks of the right wing against progressive theses are due to the defence of the working classes and the social majority, as well as the defence of social justice, feminism, environmentalism, democratic memory or just causes on an international level, such as Palestine in the Middle East; or Ukraine in the face of the Russian invasion.

"They attack us, but we are still standing here; standing up to intolerance and saying that when this democratic battle takes place and is held at the ballot box, we will beat them again, just as we won in 2019 and we won in 2023", said the head of the Executive.

Commitment to Valencia's recovery after the DANA

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, during his speech at the 44th UGT Confederal Congress | Pool Moncloa / Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

Pedro Sánchez has underlined the Government's solidarity and commitment to the victims of the DANA in the Valencia region, as well as to the recovery of the affected areas and the relaunching of its economy: "When the media spotlight goes away, this Government will continue with the citizens of Valencia until they fully recover their normality," he said.

In this sense, the president of the Government of Spain has rejected the far-right's thesis against all scientific evidence and the risks of climate change. "Today there is a much more serious danger than the climate emergency, which are the denialist governments that, by action or omission, deny this climate emergency," Sánchez pointed out.

Reduction of working hours and the law on Institutional Participation

On labour matters, the president of the Government of Spain called on employers to reach an agreement with the trade unions and the Executive to benefit the working class and to implement the reduction in working hours: "We have already approved the labour reform, but we still have to reduce the working day," Sánchez reminded us.

Furthermore, the head of the Executive stressed the importance of passing a law on Institutional Participation during the current legislature in order to "recognise the work and importance of the social agents in achieving stability and social peace."

Strong defence of political and trade union action

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, together with the Secretary General of UGT, Pepe Álvarez | Pool Moncloa / Borja Puig de la Bellacasa

The president of the Government of Spain has defended "the political and trade union commitment" to "stand up and fight for the causes that the citizens of our country deserve," and has invited the UGT to continue working "side by side" with the progressive coalition government. "You make us better," said Pedro Sánchez.

"The data is there, the facts are there, and we should feel proud because we are on the right side of history," stressed the head of the Executive, who expressly recognised trade unionism and the role of the UGT: "The causes that today are facts, that are realities for millions of workers have been thanks to the joint work of the political left and the trade union left."

"We always look forwards, because our political objective is none other than to move societies forwards," concluded the president of the Government of Spain.

Non official translation