The Spanish Parliament approved the extension of the country’s state of emergency for a fourth time on Wednesday, continuing severe restrictions on movement and business until at least May 24 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision, approved by 178 votes against 75 and with 97 abstentions, came after Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez negotiated last-minute votes to secure the extension, despite the main opposition Popular Party, PP, abstaining.

The extension gives the Socialist Party-led minority government the power to continue enforcing restrictions under the state of emergency rules decreed on March 14th.

During the parliamentary debate ahead of the vote, opposition and right-wing parties harshly criticized the socialist minority-led government, accusing Sánchez of holding Spanish citizens “hostage” by curtailing fundamental rights.

“We are limiting two rights, to guarantee another two: public health and life. And to limit the two rights of mobility and of assembly, we need the only constitutional and juridical instrument that allows us to act over them, which is the state of emergency”, Sánchez responded.

The Spanish prime minister said he will request 15-day extensions throughout the country’s de-escalation period, expected to last until the end of June.

Most of Spain began “Phase Zero” of the government’s de-escalation plan on Monday, by lifting some of the confinement restrictions to additional sectors of the work force to return to their jobs, such as restaurants for take-away service, small stores and hair salons with clients by appointment only.

It is expected that next Monday, some regions will advance to “Phase One” if they show infections rates are low and that their health facilities are able to react quickly to any new outbreaks.

The government says the state of emergency during the de-escalation plan is crucial.

“To ignore the risk of the epidemic and hastily lift the state of emergency would be an absolute, total, and unforgivable mistake that the government will not commit, and which is why it’s requesting the extension”, Sánchez argued ahead of Wednesday’s vote.

The state of emergency was first declared on March 14 and extended for the first time on March 27.