From 1 September 2026, the Congreso de los Diputados will resume its regular work. After the session ended on 1 July, key proposals were left pending, and the government and parliamentary majority now want to push them through swiftly. According to consistent reports on 28 August, these are eight laws considered particularly important: including reform of the Ley Mordaza, amendments to the Código Penal to decriminalise certain statements, the ley de familias, a new version of the ley de secretos oficiales as well as other sectoral proposals, such as the modernisation of film law.
The most advanced proposal is the replacement of the Ley Mordaza, passed in 2015 by the Partido Popular , which remains in force despite persistent criticism from the left. Previous attempts to reorganise security powers have stalled over points of detail and the necessary majorities. A reform of the Código Penal has also been announced, which would remove criminal liability for injurias a la Corona and offences against religious sentiments. According to sources in the parliamentary groups of PSOE and Sumar , an agreed initiative has been in place since June.
The timetable is tight. Some of the proposals concern organic laws and therefore require qualified majorities. Deadlines and amendment rounds are still under way in several committees, and some texts are blocked. Opposition groups are raising fundamental questions about interference with existing security and criminal law. Church representatives and conservative organisations have opposed removing offences based on religious grounds. The government, by contrast, points to strengthening freedom of expression and European case law on offences relating to speech.
The political equation has two sides: if agreement can be reached with shifting partners, the coalition could conclude the legislature with significant changes to civil liberties and transparency. If key proposals fail or remain incomplete, the current rules on protest, thresholds for police intervention and offences involving symbols would remain unchanged for the time being – carrying the dispute into the next electoral cycle.
The facts and dates are based on parliamentary calendars and statements dated 28 August 2026; the party positions are drawn from public statements by those involved since June. Whether agreement will be reached on all points remains unclear and depends on negotiations in plenary and committee.
Editor: Phillipe Schmidt-Araguin (Article created with AI assistance).