Spanish politician Ada Colau wants to enable paid leave for people caring for close friends or neighbours. The former mayor of Barcelona presented the proposal during the election campaign on Sunday. It is intended to apply, among other situations, in cases of illness, hospital stays, care needs and childcare.
Colau is the candidate of the left-wing coalition Frente Amplio for the post of Spain’s head of government. She published her proposal in a video on 15 November, ahead of an election campaign event in Zaragoza. She also championed legal recognition of the so-called chosen family.
Colau means people who are close to one another and support each other in everyday life, without necessarily being related. She cited female friends and neighbours as examples. In particular, when someone is ill, in hospital or needs childcare, it is often such close contacts who step in. This affects, among others, women, people with a migration background who have no family network locally, and people from the queer community, she said.
According to the coalition, the freedom to name these emotional and caring relationships is to be enshrined in a Family Law This would provide stronger employment-law protection and paid leave for these relationships too. The coalition also said that recognition would be voluntary and would not automatically create care obligations. It also cites deaths as a possible reason for taking leave.
Spain’s Workers’ Statute already provides five days of paid leave, subject to certain conditions, in the event of a serious accident, serious illness or hospital stay. In addition to relatives, this can also apply to another person who lives with the employee and actually needs care. Colau’s proposal aims to recognise close relationships beyond these existing conditions.
The proposal is part of the election campaign ahead of Spain’s Parliamentary election on 29 November. In Zaragoza, Colau also called for a strong left-wing force and criticised both the right and the election strategy of the Socialists led by head of government Pedro Sánchez. The announced extension of leave is a political proposal, not a law that has already been passed. The reports did not provide details on how the naming process would work in practice or how long the new leave would last.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).