The reform, consisting of 9 articles, responds to a request from the Parliament's board and a recommendation from the Deputy's Statute Commission. The text stipulates that MPs cannot use "offensive or defamatory" language that discriminates, slanders, fosters, promotes, or incites hatred in any of their communications.
Rules regarding reconsideration requests and calls to order are also modified, reminding MPs of the need to respect the regulations and the Code of Conduct, avoiding disorder, cross-accusations, or inappropriate expressions.
The reform specifies the roles of the Deputy's Statute Commission and the Board in cases of infringement of duties or the Code of Conduct. Sanctions are established as minor, serious, or very serious, with fines ranging from 600 to 12,000 euros.
Minor infractions include general breaches of the regulations. Serious infractions involve providing incomplete information or accepting gifts worth 150 to 600 euros. Very serious infractions cover intentional manipulation of information, breach of the duty to abstain in case of conflict of interest, accepting gifts over 600 euros, or engaging in threats, coercion, or acts of violence.
Sanctions will be a public reprimand for minor offenses; a public reprimand and a fine of 600 to 6,000 euros for serious offenses; and a public reprimand and a fine of 6,001 to 12,000 euros for very serious offenses. In very serious cases, the possibility of prohibiting an MP from participating in Parliament delegations for up to one year may be considered.
Recently, the Parliament's Board imposed a public reprimand on MP Sílvia Orriols and the spokesperson for Vox, Joan Garriga, for a minor infraction of the Code of Conduct.
