The election this Saturday of Alberto Núñez Feijóo as the new president of the PP comes to put an end to a crisis of such belligerence that it left the party in ‘shock’ and led to the sudden defenestration of Pablo Casado. Now, with the internal wounds apparently healed and the parenthesis that Casado’s leadership has represented for the popular ones closed, the still president of Galicia has put the wickers to center the PP, moderate his speechget him away from the hyperbole in which he had been trapped and, above all, stop the advance of Vox and recover the voters who have already opted, or are willing to opt, for the party of Santiago Abascal. Feijóo’s objective could be summed up, therefore, in his intention to recover the tone to later regain power in optimal conditions, which would free him from having to face a government coalition with the extreme right. A task that will be arduous, because the PP that the Galician president inherits feels the breath of Vox on the back of his neck, which, according to some demographic studies, would not be so far from overcoming it.
That PP, what does it seem have regained self-confidence, trusts the almost thaumaturgical power of Feijóo, who reaches the presidency of the party with the political baggage of four consecutive absolute majorities in Galicia. Repeating that feat in the Spain of political fragmentation and polarization will not be easy for him. He, however, has set himself the goal of winning the elections against the left and to achieve this he has set some differences in shape and background with its predecessor. The first refer to how he will act while he is in the opposition, a period in which he promises to do “everything possible to make Spain better.” Thus reached out to the government to help solve the serious economic and social problems that affect the Spaniards and for other State pacts. But to do so he will have to deal with the Madrilenian Diaz Ayusodetermined to mark a harsh opposition to the president Pedro Sanchez.
Feijóo will have the first opportunity to demonstrate the extent to which his intention to face state policies goes in the vote in Congress on the decree of urgent measures to respond to the consequences of the war in Ukraine. And perhaps earlier in his willingness to put an end to the intolerable democratic anomaly that the non-renewal of the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ), whose mandate expired more than three years ago irrevocably damages the credibility of the institutions. He urges the renewal of the governing body of the judges, which he cannot wait another day, as he urges a greater understanding of the two main parties on crucial issues, which also appeals to Sánchez’s responsibility.
There are other positive aspects that distinguish Feijóo from his predecessor at the head of the party and that, above all, distance him from the ultra-Spanish positions of Vox. Of autonomist convictions, the president of the PP is a great defender of the Spain of diversity and the use of the languages of each community. He himself delivered a part of his first speech in Galician and proclaimed that «Languages are not fought, but respected». Aware, moreover, that it is difficult to govern in Spain without almost having a presence in Catalonia and Euskadi, as is the case now, appealed to the need to recover positions in both territories. His success in this task will depend on the sensitivity that he demonstrates towards the problems of both nationalities.