Spanish govt warns 'chaos' if state of emergency not extended

The Spanish government is turning up pressure on opposition parties to approve another extension of the country's state of emergency. The government says a failure to do so could "bring chaos". Transport and Mobility Minister Jose Luis Abalos anticipates a tough debate in Parliament on the issue on Wednesday. He says the measure is "the most effective legal instrument" to fight the new coronavirus because it grants authorities the exceptional power to restrict freedom of movement

Abalos says that without it all the sacrifices made so far will have been "pointless." "There's no Plan B, no alternative" to the state of emergency, Abalos told a news conference in Madrid on Monday

Health Minister Salvador Illa said it was "indispensable". Spain has managed to reduce the daily increase in the number of coronavirus infections from around 35% in mid-March to 0.16% because of a strict lockdown. More than 25,000 people have died of COVID-19 in the country.