Spain’s coalition government is planning on reforming the country’s criminal code

Spain’s coalition government is planning on reforming the country’s criminal code to lower the sentence for sedition, a crime that came to the spotlight following last year’s Supreme Court ruling on the Catalan separatist leaders, involved with the 2017 breakaway bid in the northeastern region.

Spain’s top court found nine of the defendants guilty of offences including sedition and handed down lengthy prison sentences, sparking mass protests and disturbances in the region.

For this reform to be approved, the governing Socialist Party (PSOE) and anti-austerity Podemos need an absolute majority of 176 votes.

But Spain’s lower house of parliament, is deeply divided on the issue.

The political parties that supported Sánchez’s investiture bid are open to negotiating the reform, but the right-wing bloc – the Popular Party (PP), Ciudadanos (Citizens) and far-right Vox – are strongly opposed to the measure.

The government would need to secure 10 more votes than the 166 that allowed Sánchez to be voted back as prime minister.

Written by BayRadio