In a setback for Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s left-wing coalition government, the country’s parliament has voted down a proposal to reduce the standard work week from 40 to 32 hours. This decision represents a blow to Sanchez’s agenda, which had championed the shorter work week as a way to improve work-life balance and boost productivity.
The rejection of the measure by opposition parties highlights the challenges Sanchez faces in pushing through his progressive reforms in the face of a divided legislature. Critics argued that the shorter work week would be too costly for businesses and could hamper Spain’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The outcome is a disappointment for Sanchez, who had touted the shorter work week as a key part of his government’s modernization efforts. With this proposal now shelved, the Prime Minister will need to refocus his efforts on other priorities, such as addressing the country’s high unemployment rate and managing the ongoing impact of the pandemic.