The PSOE and its parliamentary allies have taken the first step to lower the requirements for forming groups in Congress, backed by ERC, Junts and other minority parties.
On Tuesday, the congressional majority approved consideration of a rules reform promoted by ERC, Junts, Podemos, BNG and Compromís. The proposal lowers current thresholds: from five deputies plus 5% nationally or 15% per constituency, to five deputies plus 3% nationally or 10% in the territories where they run.
PP and Vox rejected the initiative and warned that, if they control the Bureau in the next legislature, they will apply the rules strictly. Vox deputy Ignacio Gil Lázaro promised to stop “all the tricks” that benefit minorities.
The PSOE defended the measure as an adaptation to the “territorial political reality of 21st-century Spain”. Deputy Joaquín Martínez stated that “political fragmentation is not caused by the rules, but decided by citizens when they vote freely”.
