The PSOE fully enters the debate on multiple recidivism. Under the hypothesis that “Security is left-wing”the socialists are trying to bring this issue back to their own territory, after the push of Salvador Illa’s PSC in Catalonia, which considers multiple recidivism as one of the government’s priorities. Between calculated maneuvers and strategic gestures, the party is also strengthening its nods to Junts, who promoted a law on the subject in Congress and has been asking for its reactivation for some time. Precisely, last week, this initiative I took one more step in its development with the support of the PSOE, which added its voices to those of Carles Puigdemont and also to those of the PP.
This gesture testifies to the PSOE’s change in strategy in terms of citizen security, at a time when it is also trying to curry favor with Junts after its announced “dissolution”. It was the President of the Government himself, Pedro Sánchez, who put his cards on the table by recognizing the “violation” of commitments and move forward, among other issues, on new steps for the approval of the law on multiple recidivism promoted by Junts in Congress.
However, it should be remembered that the fight against multiple recidivism is one of the priorities of the Generalitat of Catalonia and the City Council of Barcelona, both in the hands of the PSC. Precisely, more than six months ago, the Mossos d’Esquadra deployed the so-called “Kanpai” plan throughout Catalonia to fight against multiple repeat offenses. Through November, this plan resulted in nearly 500 detainees with more than 4,000 criminal records.
In this sense, the PSOE already has a defined direction, which is why the defense of this law, currently being examined in Congress, is based on a argument channeled by the CPS. Precisely, during the debate to take this rule into account in Congress, in September 2024, it was the PSC deputy and mayor of L’Hospitalet María Mercè Perea i Conillas who was responsible for defending the socialist position.
The MP then stressed that this problem required a “clear and effective response”, and indicated two “possibilities” to remedy it: one through “punitive populism”, increase sanctions and link security and migration for simple “electoral gain”and another – which the PSOE defends – through a solution “arising from a useful, rigorous and thoughtful policy, with cooperation, collaboration, coordination between administrations and listening to citizens”. As an example, he cited the project – then pilot, but which has already been launched – of the mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni.
“Socialists demand the right to security in the sense that Without security, there is no freedom or equalitya history that the current Government of the Generalitat has made its own from the first moment,” he said.
Despite Sumar, EH Bildu and Podemos reject this rule Because it understands that common delinquency must be combated by attacking its social causes and not by toughening penalties, the PSOE has decided to give it a helping hand. In this regard, CPS sources with a seat in Congress emphasize that this is an issue that must be addressed as quickly as possible, based on the principle that “Security is left-wing”.
They assure that the goal should not be to buy into “the right-wing migration framework” and to focus more on security as a public right, not a private one. It is true that for the moment, the Mossos do not detail the nationality of the criminals in their communications, which the Ertzaintza does. In this regard, these voices of the CPS recommend “display data without complexes” and address with them the question of security, that is to say differentiating the data on multiple recidivism according to nationality.
For the moment, this position does not seem to have many roots within the PSC or the PSOE. However, according to Mossos general manager Josep Lluís Trapero, changes could come in the next annual report. The Catalan police explained to The newspaper that the “Report on security and police activity” 2025 will seek to go beyond the figures, by integrating an analysis of the context of the phenomenon, where nationality could be included.
All this in the Catalan scenario, which seems to function as a sort of prelude at the national level, leaving open the question of How the PSOE will address the phenomenon of multiple recidivism.
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