Several Spanish political parties have rejected a proposal to lower the drink-driving limit in Spain, with the ruling Socialists accusing the PP and Vox of “bowing to the beer and wine lobbies”.
A home affairs committee in the Spanish Congress on Wednesday rejected a proposal to lower the maximum blood alcohol limit for drivers.
The measure was voted down by the Popular Party (PP), Vox, Catalan ERC and Navarre UPN. In total the proposal was downed with 18 votes in favour and 19 against.
The bill had been stalled since it began its parliamentary journey a year ago after being tabled by the Socialists, which was at the time passed despite PP abstention and the rejection of Vox.
READ ALSO: What are the drink driving limits and penalties in Spain?
The text sought to lower the maximum permitted blood alcohol limit from 0.5 grams per litre of blood to 0.2 (0.1 milligrams per litre of exhaled air) and standardise it for all drivers, eliminating the differences between novice and professional drivers.
It also would’ve banned publishing and sharing the locations of police alcohol and drug checkpoints on social media.
Since March last year, the deadline for amendments was successively extended and the bill became bogged down pending negotiations between the parliamentary groups.
Finally, the PSOE, Sumar and the PNV voted in favour, while mostly right-wing parties voted against.
After it became clear that the measure had been rejected, the PSOE accused the PP and Vox of “bowing to the beer and wine lobbies”.
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Speaking to the media, Socialist Deputy Manuel Arribas stated that his party would reintroduce the initiative to the House of Deputies to amend the law and get it passed.
“Today was not a political debate, far from it. Today, what we were debating is who decides that, having had a few drinks or a few beers, someone gets behind the wheel and takes the lives of innocent people who are on their way to work, who are going about their daily lives,” said Arribas.
Meanwhile, Spain’s Ministry of the Interior has stated that it will continue working to lower the maximum blood alcohol limit for drivers, despite the defeat: “The reduction in the limit has not been approved by parliament… but the direction is clear”.
