Spain's Council of Ministers approves measure to combat disinformation

​​​​​​​By Senhan Bolelli

MADRID (AA) - The Council of Ministers in Spain approved on Tuesday a 31-measure legislative plan introduced by the minority left-wing coalition government to combat disinformation in the media and on social platforms.

The plan is now headed to parliament for further discussion.

The democratic action plan was prompted by a recent investigation into claims made earlier this summer about Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's wife, Begona Gomez.

Reports alleged that Gomez exerted influence on the business sector and was involved in corruption, leading to a prosecutorial inquiry.

In response, the government wants to address the spread of false news, particularly those targeting public institutions and individuals.

"This plan is designed to fully restore confidence in democracy by ensuring transparency in media practices and safeguarding the right to accurate information. It aims to make our democracy freer and cleaner," Justice Minister Felix Bolanos told reporters about the plan.

It includes reforms to the penal code, focusing on the reliability of information used in the media, transparency in journalism and issues related to freedom of expression and religious matters.

Key provisions include mandating transparency in the revenue of media outlets, restricting the operation of corporate advertising in the media and establishing a special commission to combat disinformation.

The main opposition party, the right-wing People's Party, has criticized the plan as a form of "censorship of free speech" and announced it would not support the initiative.