Eduardo González
The main chapters on foreign policy of the PSOE’s electoral program for the July 23rd legislative elections represent a compendium of achievements and objectives perfectly aligned, both in language and content, with the predominant discourse of the Government on issues such as the European Presidency of the EU, the position on Morocco and the Sahara, the rapprochement with Latin America, Cooperation or the response to the Russian aggression against Ukraine.
With regard to the EU, the PSOE endorses the objectives of the current Spanish Presidency, from which it is committed to continue offering “the leadership and political impetus necessary for Spain to continue being the driving force of Europe and for the European project to continue advancing”, to continue “supporting Ukraine in its defense of peace, freedom, sovereignty and integrity, freedom, its sovereignty and territorial integrity” and “in its path towards European integration”, to “strengthen energy capacities, digital connectivity, food security or health in Europe” and to promote “the Open Strategic Autonomy of the EU in the short and medium term”, among other proposals.
Likewise, Pedro Sánchez’s party assures that it will work “to reform the economic governance of Europe to agree on fairer, more realistic and predictable fiscal rules”, will promote “decision-making in foreign policy and common security by qualified majority” and will work “to achieve at the European level the adoption of a new Pact on Migration and Asylum”. The PSOE is also committed to try to “reach an agreement in relation to Gibraltar that creates a zone of shared prosperity for Gibraltar and Campo de Gibraltar, respecting the legal position of Spain with respect to its sovereignty”.
In terms of Cooperation, the socialist program commits to promote the budgetary reinforcement and to advance “towards the objective of 0.7% of the Gross National Income in Official Development Aid in 2030, allocating 10% to Humanitarian Aid”. It also assures that it will complete the reform of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and the regulatory reform of Spanish Cooperation and that it will adopt “a new Master Plan for Spanish Cooperation that is committed to strategic, effective and transformative cooperation based on alliances, with an unequivocal commitment to a feminist and environmentalist agenda, and to human rights”.
By regions, the PSOE assures that it will work “with the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean for the dissemination, promotion and teaching of Spanish in the world” and will continue to “strengthen relations with the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean”. “We will put at the service of our partners in Europe our privileged capacity to generate bridges between the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean as natural allies, called to assume active roles in multilateral spaces,” he continues. “The EU-CELAC Summit during the Spanish Presidency of the EU will be the starting point, and we will make 2023 the year of Ibero-America in Europe,” it adds.
Likewise, the Socialist program defends “the program for Strengthening Democracy in Latin America launched to support institutions, groups and mechanisms to strengthen democracies” and commits to protect “those Latin American people who are arbitrarily deprived of their fundamental rights, making a special effort with human rights defenders” and to move towards the ratification of the European Union agreements with Chile, Mexico and Mercosur.
As for transatlantic relations, the PSOE is committed to strengthening “the excellent relations of friendship and alliance between Spain and the United States without renouncing our Europeanism” and to continue “working within NATO for the defense of peace and security, international order and democratic values”.
Regarding strategic bilateral relations with neighboring countries, the PSOE program commits to continue “deepening the new stage in our bilateral relations with Morocco, in which we have signed some twenty agreements to strengthen cooperation in the fight against human trafficking and against terrorism, migratory cooperation, or the promotion of exporting companies and Spanish companies in Morocco”.
“In relation to Western Sahara,” the text continues, “we will continue to support the Personal Envoy of the Secretary General of the United Nations to reach a mutually acceptable solution within the framework of the United Nations.” “We will maintain humanitarian aid to the Saharawi population in the camps, as we have always done, Spain being the main bilateral donor”, it adds.
In the Middle East and Africa, the PSOE will continue to “promote and support efforts aimed at resuming peace talks, necessary to advance the two-state solution, allowing Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security, freedom and democracy”, and is committed to continue “accompanying the stability efforts in the Sahel and in West Africa” and to work “for the establishment of a democratic regime with free elections and respect for human rights in Equatorial Guinea, a country with which we are united by historical, cultural, social and economic ties”.
Dual Nationality Agreement between Spain and Italy
Regarding Spaniards abroad, the PSOE supports the approval of a Nationality Law that regulates the citizenship rights of Spaniards abroad, “as proposed by the Council of Spanish Residents Abroad”, and proposes a Strategic Plan for Spaniards Abroad and Returnees, a Strategic Return Plan for Spaniards from abroad and the creation of Research Talent and Professional Talent Programs. “We will complete the Dual Nationality Agreement between Spain and Romania, and the Dual Nationality Agreement between Spain and Italy“, it continues.
In the area of Defense, the PSOE pledges to strengthen the European Union’s own capabilities, to maintain “Spain’s solidarity support to the allies affected by the conflict in Ukraine” and to maintain “the commitment to the different missions in which Spain actively participates with the United Nations or with other international organizations”. Likewise, he assures that he will reinforce “the specific Defense budget that will allow the development of the Ministry’s planning projects and programs” and to lead “a Defense industrial policy that ensures our strategic autonomy by means of the promotion of competitiveness, technological development and employment”.
