Spain rejects shorter work week plan even as global four-day trials expand

Spain’s parliament has voted down Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s proposal to shorten the standard work week, marking a fresh setback for his minority government.

Lawmakers rejected the plan by 178 votes to 170 on Wednesday, Bloomberg reported. The proposal would have reduced the working week from 40 to 37.5 hours, with no cut in wages.

Sánchez had unveiled the plan in February as part of his cabinet’s pledge to deliver stronger labour protections. The measure was strongly backed by the leftist Sumar party, led by Deputy Prime Minister and Labour Minister Yolanda Díaz.

However, the conservative opposition Partido Popular voted against it, and several other lawmakers withheld their support, leaving the government unable to secure a majority.

Spain, Europe’s fourth-largest economy, has faced growing debate over work-life balance. Proponents of shorter working weeks argue they could lift productivity and improve wellbeing. Díaz had described the proposal as a flagship policy and a chance to put Spain at the forefront of progressive labour reforms.

The defeat highlights the difficulties Sánchez faces in pushing legislation through a fragmented parliament. His Socialist-led administration has relied on support from smaller parties since last year’s election but has often struggled to advance its agenda.

Wednesday’s vote follows earlier setbacks for the government on tax and housing measures, Bloomberg noted. The rejection of the shorter week adds to the pressure on Sánchez as he tries to hold together his coalition and maintain credibility with voters.

Díaz said after the vote that the result was a disappointment for Spanish workers. She argued that reducing hours would have modernised the labour market and brought Spain in line with other European experiments on shorter weeks.

For now, the proposal is unlikely to return to parliament in its current form. The government has not indicated whether it will attempt to reintroduce the measure later in the legislative term.