PSOE confident in gaining PP support for tariff relief measures

Monday 21 April 2025 - 16:35

By: Zahouani Ilham

PSOE confident in gaining PP support for tariff relief measures

The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) remains optimistic that the Popular Party (PP) will ultimately support a set of government measures aimed at mitigating the impact of U.S. tariffs imposed by Donald Trump. Although the decree still needs to be ratified by the lower house of Parliament, PSOE leaders believe it would be politically difficult for the PP to reject the plan, especially given the consequences for affected regions and sectors.

Esther Peña, PSOE spokesperson, highlighted that Spain was the first EU country to respond with a concrete plan just 12 hours after the tariffs were announced. Speaking after a party executive meeting in Ferraz, Peña stated that the party stands with the affected industries, including tourism and manufacturing, and warned that PP opposition would be hard to justify if they chose to align with the far-right instead of approving much-needed aid.

Despite stalled negotiations, Socialist sources believe the PP will ultimately endorse the measures. Discussions with impacted sectors are ongoing, and PSOE leadership reports that their engagement agenda remains open.

On fiscal matters, Peña confirmed that the PSOE continues to seek agreements on the 2025 budget. However, if consensus proves elusive, the party is prepared to work with the current budget into 2026. She emphasized that the existing budget has supported economic growth and job creation, and the party feels comfortable maintaining it while striving for future agreements.