Government's 2022 budget is debated in the Senate as threat to reject it recedes

The Spanish government's expenditure plans for next year were due to be debated in the Senate on Thursday this week (9 December). Amendments presented by opposition parties were expected to be overturned by the comfortable majority of the government and its supporters in that upper chamber.

Fears have receded that the usually supportive ERC Catalan separatists would withdraw support for the entire new budget over a dispute over how much of content on new-generation television platforms has to be in Catalan.