The PP is aware of the existing division in the independence movement over whether or not to block the investiture of Pedro Sánchez and intends to profit from the consultation of the Council of the Republic that took place this Tuesday, in which the platform chaired by Carles Puigdemont voted in against supporting the leader of the PSOE. Alberto Núñez Feijóo took advantage of his presence in Barcelona this Wednesday to challenge the former Catalan president to respect those results and force a repeat election. «Here, when there is a lot of talk about the right to decide, I don’t know if that’s worth it. But if it were valid, it is evident that we would now begin to prepare for the elections on January 14,” said the Galician leader at an informative breakfast organized by Forum Europa Tribuna Catalunya.
The consultation, in which only 4.5% of the militancy participated, is not binding, but the PP intends to portray the ideological inconsistencies between Sánchez and Yolanda Díaz with their potential investiture partners. Also regarding the measures included in the Government agreement made official this Tuesday by the PSOE and Yolanda Díaz’s coalition. «I understand that there are many Junts militants who do not share the economic policy of Podemos and Sumar (…). It does not surprise me that if a Junts activist is asked, they will say no,” he pointed out in reference to issues such as tax or housing policy included in that pact.
Feijóo, who visited Bilbao this Monday to give an account of his autonomy project for the Basque Country, explained the strategy that the Popular Party intends to deploy in the other great stronghold of nationalism, Catalonia, focusing on the economic deterioration caused by the ‘procés’ and with the aim of attracting the vote of the constitutionalist and moderate voter in the Catalan elections initially planned for 2025.
The Galician leader took the opportunity to highlight that “Catalonia needs the revolution of truth.” “The revolution of the politics of truth, which is concerned with the problems of citizens and not politicians,” he proclaimed, before highlighting the potential that the community has in economic matters and claiming that it can once again be the economic engine of the country.
Feijóo’s intervention pivoted at all times around dismantling the “mantra” that the situation is better than in 2017, as Sánchez maintains to support his decisions on the Catalan front. The Galician politician claimed a policy based on management, far from amnesty and other partisan issues. «Let’s not talk about coexistence, but convenience. “The amnesty is not a reconciliation, it is a political transaction,” he said.
The tone of the popular leader was intended to be so constructive as to make a call to “normalize relations with Catalan nationalism, from the point of view of disagreement, because we are not going to be able to improve the well-being of Catalans.” In fact, he confirmed the contacts “not direct, not personal”, but “indirect” with Puigdemont, whom he thanked for “not lying.” “There are others who lie a lot, Puigdemont, everyone knows what he asks for,” he argued despite making it clear that he does not “at all agree with his proposals.”
Congress of the Catalan PP
The former Galician president was supported by members of the Catalan PP, including its leader, Alejandro Fernández – who has maintained differences with Feijóo since he became president of the party. When asked about this, the popular leader avoided clarifying when the congress that must renew the leadership of the popular people in the community that supported Sánchez on 23-J will be held. “Happy” with the results in the municipal elections, he also did not want to point out any possible candidate. The surprise among the attendees was carried out by the socialist José Montilla, former president of the Generalitat, whom Feijóo thanked for his presence at his call in Barcelona.
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