The President of the Popular Party, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, gave a speech on Wednesday in Plaza Catalunya in Girona. The stumble made by the EH Bildu candidate, Pello Otxandiano, when hesitating to define ETA as a terrorist group – instead, he referred to it as an “armed group” – has shaken up the Basque election campaign and the strategy of the Popular Party. The PP had decided to avoid discussing ETA in their speeches for the elections in the Basque Country, fearing that it could activate a fear-based vote that would benefit the PNV, with whom they compete for many of their voters. However, Otxandiano’s actions forced the PP to change course, at least at the national level. Feijóo broke his silence on Wednesday to demand that the PSOE commit to creating a “sanitary cordon” around EH Bildu until they condemn ETA.
Feijóo did not attack Bildu directly, but rather directed his criticism towards the PSOE, accusing them of being “hypocritical” and “cynical” in their approach to the party. He called it “indecent” that the Basque federation of the Socialists came out strongly against any agreements with the Basque coalition after Otxandiano’s slip. Feijóo pointed out that the PSOE had formed coalitions with Bildu in the Government of Spain, Navarra, and Pamplona, challenging them to break these alliances unless Bildu condemns ETA’s killings and cooperates in resolving unsolved attacks. Despite Feijóo referring to these as “coalitions,” they are actually parliamentary agreements, with Bildu supporting key laws and initiatives proposed by the PSOE.
The Popular Party at the national level believes that these kinds of agreements are wearing down the PSOE, who now find themselves in a contradiction by defending pacts with the Basque abertzales in Madrid while denying them in the Basque election campaign. The Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, expressed his disappointment in Bildu, stating that they have not reached the “level of democratic maturity” expected of them. Feijóo has shifted the focus of the PP’s strategy to Bildu and ETA, even though this was not the initial plan for the Basque elections. The PP had been avoiding this issue to prevent a swing towards the PNV.
Despite Feijóo’s strong words, the Basque PP candidate for lehendakari, Javier de Andrés, has chosen to downplay the issue of Bildu. He criticized Otxandiano’s remarks and the PSOE’s alliances with Bildu, but at a recent rally in Bilbao, he focused on public service management rather than stirring up controversy around Bildu. De Andrés, aligning with other popular regional presidents, opted to minimize the importance of the Basque coalition, suggesting that if Bildu were to be the most voted party on Sunday, it would primarily impact the PNV’s image, rather than the country as a whole. The Basque PP continues to navigate their strategy amidst the volatile political landscape in the region.
