Spain's two ruling left-wing parties are at loggerheads over reforming a pioneering sexual violence law that's inadvertently led to the reduction of sentences for over 700 offenders and caused national outrage.
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Both have said the coalition will stay intact and finish the legislature this year. But the wounds from the law's fallout could end a successful partnership that has produced several progressive laws.
The fight came the day before thousands of women, and men, planned to take to the streets of Madrid, Barcelona and other cities across Spain in rallies for International Women's Day.
The Socialist Party of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and the anti-austerity United We Can movement are sparring over one of the government's flagship causes: a sexual violence law that increased support and resources for victims when it took effect in October. But it also inadvertently led to the reduction of sentences for at least 721 offenders -- including the early release of 74 convicts, according to the judiciary.
The Socialists say the law is flawed and want to make technical tweaks to restore higher minimum sentences.
But Equality Minister Irene Montero, from United We Can insists the problem is the endemic sexism of some judges.
She says the Socialists' proposal would betray the essence of the law, which makes lack of consent by a victim the key to determining if there is a sex crime. The proposed change would reintroduce the importance given to whether force is used by an alleged aggressor.
Lucia Munoz of United We Can said that would mean judges would "have to again ask us if we did enough to close our legs" to prove that there was a sexual assault.
The coalition government, which has 14 women and nine men in its Cabinet, has passed a series of feminist laws, including laws on abortion, menstrual leave and improved maternity and paternity leave, among others.
But some leading feminists are concerned that the outbreak of public bickering between the government partners, will overshadow or even tarnish Wednesday's rally for women's rights.
Timed to flaunt its feminist pedigree, the Socialist wing of the government presented a new Parity Law initiative on Tuesday to require that women, or men, make up at least 40 per cent of the boards of directors of listed companies and private companies with more than 250 workers and 50 million euros in business. The same will also apply to Spain's Cabinet. The bill also proposes to oblige political parties to have equality in their electoral lists, with names of men and women coming one after the other.
That initiative has also split the coalition.
Economy Minster Nadia Calvino, a Socialist who has refused to participate in public talks or group photos where she is the only woman, said the new law would break the highest of Spain's glass ceilings. Montero said that her priority is for "all women to get off the sticky floor."
Australian Associated Press
