The appointment of Concepción Cascajosa as interim president of RTVE has become a new point of contention for the Popular Party (PP) against the government. The PP has accused the government of “colonizing institutions” after the board of directors of the public corporation, in the midst of a serious crisis, appointed a socialist party member as president. Noelia Núñez, vice-secretary of Mobilization and Digital Challenge of the national PP, expressed concerns about the politicization of institutions by the PSOE, citing previous examples such as appointments in the public news agency Efe and the Center for Sociological Research (CIS).
Cascajosa, who received the least favorable score in the selection process for the position, was elected as interim president for a period of six months with the support of PSOE-appointed board members. The PP has criticized this appointment, claiming that the only qualification of the new president is her affiliation with the PSOE and her allegiance to Pedro Sánchez. The issue of political interference in RTVE is not new, as similar situations have occurred during the terms of previous governments, including the PP’s appointments during the Aznar and Rajoy administrations.
The PP has used the appointment of Cascajosa as an opportunity to address the ongoing deadlock in the renewal of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ). The PP has been resistant to reaching an agreement with the PSOE on the renewal of the judicial council, advocating for a more independent selection process for future appointments. Núñez emphasized the importance of an independent judiciary and criticized the PSOE for not prioritizing the depoliticization of key institutions like the CGPJ.
Amid concerns about the upcoming European elections, the PP has stressed the need for a united approach to European affairs, highlighting the influence of decisions made at the European level on national politics. The party is wary of potential alliances between the PSOE and Catalan independence parties regarding a potential referendum on self-determination. The government has denied any ongoing negotiations on a referendum, but the PP remains skeptical, citing previous instances where government denials were later contradicted by actions.
In response to the escalating tensions over the issue of Catalonia, the PP, with a majority in the Senate’s General Commission of Autonomous Communities, plans to evaluate the situation and issue a new report on the impact of recent legislation. The previous report was highly critical of the law, labeling it as a “covert constitutional reform”. The PP has used this critique to challenge the legitimacy of the law and to initiate an unprecedented conflict between the Congress and the Senate. This situation is likely to escalate in the coming weeks, adding to the already tense political climate in Spain.
