The Popular Party is in a constant campaign for the general elections. At every event, at every party rally, both the presenters and the speakers insist on repeatedly qualifying Alberto Núñez Feijóo as “the next president of Spain”, as has happened again this Sunday at a PP rally in Zaragoza. There are no upcoming elections for the Congress or the Senate on the horizon, but citizens are called to vote in a week for the Members of the European Parliament. Feijóo emphasized that “Only the Popular Party is the guarantee of change in the Government. We are going all out, we are going to win. Let’s vote on the 9th,” a day after Ursula Von der Leyen avoided mentioning the word amnesty during the PP pilgrimage in O Pino despite pressure from the opposition leader. Feijóo clung to the European President’s words about “concern in Europe for the rule of law” to convey that Brussels is on their side against this “abuse of power”.
The issue of granting amnesty to the pro-independence individuals involved in the procés, as well as the alleged “corruption” that, according to the Popular Party, is cornering the President of the Government, has once again dominated the messages of the rally in Zaragoza, held on the last Sunday of the campaign before the European elections and three days after the Congress definitively approved the amnesty law. The leader of the PP suggested that the law has not yet been published in the Official State Gazette due to electoral interests of the PSOE, implying that it has not been done for fear and will be done after the elections. In a pedestrian street in Zaragoza, about 1,500 sympathizers and officials of the Popular Party – according to party data – have cheered Feijóo. Feijóo, surrounded by the President of Aragon and the Mayor of Zaragoza, stressed the hunger for winning decisively, making it clear that what they are achieving in autonomous communities can be replicated in the Government of the nation. For Feijóo, the European Parliament elections are a plebiscite on Sánchez.
The Popular Party headquarters on Génova Street in Madrid are aware that the polls predict a close result with the PP leading, so they will have to fight for victory until the last minute, as admitted by a member of the steering committee. In the final stretch of the campaign starting on Monday, Feijóo will continue to focus on the investigations against the President’s wife, Begoña Gómez. Despite the full-on attack against Begoña Gómez, the PP has ruled out summoning Sánchez to the Senate committee on the Koldo case initiated by the Popular Party before the June 9 elections due to the risk of the President gaining strength from that appearance. The President of Aragon, Jorge Azcón, boasted of being “the first community” to announce a constitutional challenge to the amnesty law, in a deliberate move. Aragón presented the legal report on Saturday to proceed with the challenge. Azcón called on socialist deputies in Aragon to prioritize being Spanish over being socialists or supporters of Sánchez, in reference to the president of Castilla-La Mancha who also joined the PP-governed regions in challenging the amnesty.
The focus of the Popular Party’s campaign remains on themes like the rule of law, corruption allegations against the government, and the issue of amnesty for pro-independence individuals in the backdrop of the upcoming European Parliament elections. Feijóo’s assertive leadership style and his insistence on being the next president of Spain are central to their strategy to mobilize voters. The loyalty and support shown by local party officials and supporters at campaign events reflect a unified front within the party. As they near the election date, the PP continues to push their narrative, attacking perceived weaknesses in the government and presenting themselves as the alternative for change. The regional resistance against the amnesty law showcases divisions within the political realm and underscores the intensity of the debate surrounding these issues. In the run-up to the election, the Popular Party appears determined to leave no stone unturned in their pursuit of victory.
