Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez apologized in an interview published on Sunday to victims of sexual violence against laws on sexual violence which included a loophole that allowed hundreds of convicts to have their sentences shortened and released early, AFP and Reuters reported on Sunday.

“If I have to apologize to the victims, I apologize to the victims for these unwanted consequences,” the Spanish Socialist leader said for the first time when asked about it by the Basque Spanish daily El Correo.

According to the latest figures from the Spanish justice system, the Spanish government’s law against sexual violence, which has been dubbed “only yes is yes”, has paradoxically led to at least 978 reduced sentences and 104 early release of convicts since it came into force in October. .

“I believe that not a single deputy, including the groups of deputies who voted against the law “only yes”, does not agree with the reduction.”

punishment for sexual aggressors. That’s why I apologize,” Pedro Sánchez stressed, with municipal and regional elections approaching on May 28, as well as legislative elections scheduled for the end of the year.

The softening of the sentences caused outrage in Spain, which is recognized as a benchmark in Europe for legislation against gender-based violence.

Last year’s “just like that” reform introduced explicit sexual consent, a promise made by the left-wing government after a gang-rape that sparked outrage in the country.

This text abolishes the distinction between the crime of “sexual assault” with less severe penalties and “sexual assault” which included rape and required the presence of violence or intimidation to be apprehended. From now on, any sexual violence is “sexual assault” in the absence of express consent.

But these reclassifications still led to a softening of punishments, since in Spain punishments are changed retroactively if the change in the criminal code is beneficial to the convicted person.

“We will propose a solution to these problems,” promised Pedro Sánchez, whose chief executive says he is a feminist, even as Spain’s parliament is considering a bill brought by the Socialists to end those term cuts.