Covid-19: Spanish PM asks to extend state of emergency again

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is appearing before Spain’s Parliament to ask for their endorsement to extend the nation’s state of emergency that his government has used to rein in a coronavirus outbreak that has killed at least 27,000 Spaniards.

It would be the fifth two-week extension to the state of emergency, which is currently set to expire on Sunday. The government wants to extend it until June 7.

The vote is expected to be close, although Sánchez’s minority government composed of his Socialists and an anti-austerity party has secured the important backing of the center-right Citizens party.

Sánchez’s support has been waning with every vote to extend the state of emergency, which gives the government the power to restrict Constitutional rights such as free movement and assembly key to its sanitary lockdown. The main opposition party, the conservative Popular Party, has said it will vote “No.” Also, the governmental gazette published the order that will require everyone over six years old to wear face masks in a closed public space or outdoors if a two-meter (6.5-foot) social distance cannot be guaranteed starting Thursday.